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[[Image:Tossa-n-white.gif|thumb|Bundles of jute, showing the fibres of ''Corchorus olitorius'' (tossa jute fibre) and ''Corchorus capsularis'' (white jute fibre)]]
[[Image:Jute plant.gif|thumb|Jute plants (''Corchorus olitorius'' and ''Corchorus capsularis'')]]
'''Jute''' is a long, soft, shiny [[vegetable fibre]] that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus ''[[Corchorus]]'', family [[Tiliaceae]].
==Cultivation==
Jute needs a plain alluvial soil and standing water. The suitable climate for growing jute (warm and wet climate) is offered by the [[monsoon]] climate during the monsoon season. Temperatures from 20˚ C to 40˚ C and relative humidity of 70%–80% are favourable for successful cultivation. Jute requires 5–8 cm of rainfall weekly and more during the sowing period.
===White jute (''Corchorus capsularis'')===
Several historical documents (including, ''[[Ain-e-Akbari]]'' by [[Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak|Abul Fazal]] in 1590) state that the poor villagers of [[India]] used to wear clothes made of jute. Simple handlooms and hand spinning wheels were used by the weavers, who used to spin cotton yarns as well. History also states that Indians, especially [[Bengali people|Bengalis]], used ropes and twines made of white jute from ancient times for household and other uses.
===Tossa jute (''Corchorus olitorius'')===
Tossa jute (''[[Corchorus olitorius]]'') is an Afro-Arabian variety. It is quite popular for its leaves that are used as an ingredient in a mucilaginous [[Leaf vegetable|potherb]] called ''molokhiya'' ([[ملوخية]] a word of uncertain etymology), popular in certain [[Arab]] countries. The [[Book of Job]] in the [[Hebrew Bible]] mentions this vegetable potherb as ''Jew's mallow''.
Tossa jute fibre is softer, silkier, and stronger than white jute. This variety astonishingly showed good sustainability in the climate of the [[Ganges Delta]]. Along with white jute, tossa jute has also been cultivated in the soil of [[Bengal]] where it is known as ''paat'' from the start of the 19th century. Currently, the Bengal region ([[West Bengal]], India, and [[Bangladesh]]) is the largest global producer of the tossa jute variety.