Question: asking for retting process of jute
Answer: the harvested plants should be made in bundles of 15-20 cm
diameter and left in the field in standing position for 2-4 days
not only for shedding of leaves but also to facilitate the retting
process. thin and thick plants must be bundled separately.
retting is the most important factor responsible for producing
fine quality of jute fibre. the bundles are to be arranged side by
side in water and tied together so as to form regular platform
(jak) and if possible, a second layer of bundles may also be
placed on top and covered with materials like water hyacinth,
keturi leaf, paddy straw thatch etc. the ‘jak’ should be
submerged by putting weight of concrete slabs, bricks, stone
or dry log, use of mud clods, banana stems and freshly cut logs
as materials for weight should scrupulously be avoided.
optimum temperature of water for retting ranges from 32-340c.
depending upon the temperature condition the retting process
takes about 10-30 days to complete when the fibre separates
out easily from the wood. over retting and under retting should
be avoided.
to accelerate the process of retting one or two sticks of
dhaincha or sunhemp should be inserted in each jute bundle
before steeping. this provided substratum for quick microbial
activity leading to multiplication of microbes and intensification
of retting process.