Jute mill owners in West Bengal are asking the incoming state government to intervene as a raw material shortage disrupts production and threatens closures. Industry sources cited by the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA) say at least 14 mills across the Hooghly industrial belt either suspend operations or run at significantly reduced capacity due to limited availability of raw jute and rising costs. Millers attribute the disruption to difficulties in accessing supplies while key pricing and market conditions remain unfavorable. They point to a frozen Jute Balers’ Association (JBA) rate of ₹17,100 per quintal and a trade ban, which they say leave mills unable to procure adequate raw material ahead of the next crop, expected to arrive in roughly ten weeks. Millers are seeking measures including release of residual stock, permission for emergency imports, and steps to restore a “viable price corridor” to support milling operations and protect jobs. The industry says around two lakh workers are employed in the sector in the state and that thousands may be affected as production remains disrupted.