Nepali jute factories hurt by soaring cost of raw materials

Until three decades ago, Nepali farmers used to grow 150,000 tonnes of jute annually, experts said.

A drop in jute output in Nepal, India and Bangladesh has sent prices soaring, hurting Nepali factories that manufacture bags and other products from the golden fibre. The price of raw jute has jumped by 50 percent to Rs90 per kg, jute traders said.