Jute Harvest 2025: Slight Acreage Decline, Good Yields and Sharply Rising Prices – What This Means for Shibari Ropes
2025 Jute Harvest: Lower acreage but record prices. What this means for premium Shibari ropes – and why AMATSUNAWA continues to deliver stable quality.
The 2025 harvest season (main harvest July–October) is complete and the figures are in. Worldwide – especially in India and Bangladesh – there was a slight reduction in cultivated area, but thanks to good weather conditions, yields per hectare were stable or even higher. The result: no dramatic collapse, but noticeable market tightening and record prices at the end of 2025/beginning of 2026.
For premium jute ropes like those from AMATSUNAWA, this has two main effects: stable quality thanks to long-standing supplier relationships and slightly higher raw material costs, which we have so far been able to absorb well.
India – World’s Largest Producer with Slight Acreage Reduction
India remains by far the largest jute producer (approx. 55–60 % of global production).
- Cultivated area 2025: approx. 4.70–5.56 lakh hectares (depending on source and state) – a decline compared to 4.90 lakh ha the previous year and well below the long-term average of approx. 6.6 lakh ha.
- Production: Estimates are around 75 lakh bales (180 kg each) – roughly at the previous year’s level or slightly below. Good monsoon rains significantly increased yields per hectare and improved fibre quality.
- Price development: Dramatic! After lows of approx. 4,700 ₹/quintal last year, prices climbed to over 11,000 ₹/quintal (sometimes up to 11,500 ₹). Reason: Many farmers switched to maize due to previous low prices (better and more secure offtake by the poultry feed and ethanol industries).
Conclusion India: Less area, but high yields and better fibre quality in many regions (West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand). The tightening has led to record-high prices.
Bangladesh – Second-Largest Producer with Supply Shortages
Bangladesh produces approx. 1.5 million tonnes of raw jute annually (approx. 83–95 lakh bales).
- For the previous harvest year 2024/25, a 6.6 % decline to approx. 89.53 lakh bales was already reported (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics).
- For the 2025 harvest, the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) reported acute raw jute shortages from September–November 2025. Many mills had to reduce or stop production because supply was below demand.
- Prices in Bangladesh: 5,000–5,500 Tk per maund (depending on quality) – also sharply up.
Reasons: High exports (including to India), alleged hoarding by traders and some weather-related delays in retting. The classic growing areas (Mymensingh, Sunamganj, Faridpur) continued to deliver high-quality “Golden Fibre”.
AMATSUNAWA Secures Premium Tossa Jute Grade 1 for 2026
Despite market shortages and extreme price increases, we have successfully secured 10 tonnes of high-quality Tossa Jute Grade 1 (the highest quality level) on a long-term basis. This premium fibre comes from selected growing areas in West Bengal and is processed exclusively in one of our long-standing partner mills into excellent yarn.
The yarn was then specially treated to reduce fibre loss and abrasion – a gentle, chemical-free process that significantly increases durability during intensive Shibari use without affecting the natural feel or skin compatibility. As a result, our current and upcoming rope batches (HASHIRA, KIYOMI, MITSUKI) benefit from particularly stable quality and less fuzz even after many sessions.
This early and targeted securing was only possible thanks to our direct, trusting relationships with the mills and producers – a clear advantage over many other brands currently struggling with delivery bottlenecks or quality compromises.
Why Prices Have Exploded Anyway
- Reduced cultivated area worldwide (farmers switching to more profitable crops)
- Good yields could not fully offset the acreage decline
- Strong demand for sustainable packaging and ecological fibres (EU plastic bans, “Green Packaging”)
- Logistics and export effects between India and Bangladesh
Impact on Shibari & Kinbaku Ropes
For us at AMATSUNAWA the situation is stable:
- We work with long-standing, direct partner mills – this secures us preferred quality and supply even in tight times.
- Overall fibre quality in 2025 is very good (thanks to better yields and careful retting).
- We have only passed on raw material price increases to a very limited extent – our ropes (HASHIRA, KIYOMI, MITSUKI) remain fairly priced.
- Tip for riggers: Anyone buying now benefits from the currently still good availability of premium jute. In the long term, it pays to rely on established manufacturers.
Outlook 2026
The governments of India and Bangladesh want to stabilise the cultivated area again (through better MSP prices, seed programmes and incentives). Global demand for jute as a “green” alternative to plastic remains high – this points to stable to slightly rising prices, but also to continued high quality.
Conclusion
The 2025 jute harvest was not a total failure, but a typical “transitional harvest” with acreage declines and price increases. For anyone looking for high-quality, JBO-free jute ropes, AMATSUNAWA remains a safe and sustainable choice – backed by our secured premium Tossa Jute Grade 1 batch.
Would you like to purchase our ropes or order a sample box to test and feel our latest qualities yourself?
Sources (as of March 2026):
Business Standard, The Hindu BusinessLine (India)
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) & Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA)
Jute Commissioner of India & current market reports
AMATSUNAWA internal supply & quality data