Kolkata’s Jute Industry: The Industrial Heritage of a Historic City
Kolkata has a long and distinctive industrial history, and the jute industry has been one of the most important parts of that story. The growth of jute manufacturing along the Hooghly River influenced employment, trade, industrial infrastructure, and the development of communities surrounding the city. Jute is a natural fibre obtained from plants and has traditionally been used to manufacture products such as sacks, ropes, mats, and packaging materials. West Bengal has historically been one of India's major centers for jute and cotton textiles, supported by raw-material availability, skilled labor, transportation networks, and access to markets. The Industrial Foundations of Bengal Bengal's industrial development began long before the modern jute industry became prominent. The region had established traditions in textiles, silk production, shipbuilding, salt production, and other forms of manufacturing. According to the West Bengal government's account of the state's i...