India is the world's largest producer of raw jute, concentrated primarily in the fertile Ganges-Brahmaputra delta region of West Bengal. This year, due to El Niño, delayed or weak monsoon rainfall leaves traditional ditches, canals, and shallow ponds without enough water to submerge jute bundles. Over 90% of Indian jute farmers lack access to clean, slow-moving rivers and rely on stagnant, muddy puddles. Retting in muddy or stagnant water causes fiber to be discolored by mud, leading to lower market prices. Agricultural departments advise digging temporary pits or small ditches lined with tarpaulin sheets filled with water for localized retting. A farmer examines jute plants in the field to assess their growth. Due to limited space, artificial water bodies have been created for retting in the cultivation field, while farmers bathe their buffaloes in the jute-soaked water. Water quality worsens after jute retting, becoming polluted and foul-smelling due to decomposing plant biomass. Cattle Egret birds are foraging for food in the water; their feathers are scattered there. A female Diplacodes nebulosa dragonfly (Black-Tipped Ground Skimmer) is perched on a cut jute plant. Extracted jute sticks are laid out to dry in the sun in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on August 27, 2026.
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