How do I do proper jute (pat) retting to get good quality fibre?

Retting quality decides the colour and strength of jute fibre and therefore the price. Harvest at the right stage, usually around small pod or early flowering depending on your purpose, then bundle and ret in clean, slow moving or still water that is not muddy. Dirty, stagnant or iron rich water gives dark, weak fibre. Keep bundles fully submerged with a light weight, not crushed, and check progress so you neither under ret nor over ret. After retting, wash the fibre in clean water and dry it in shade then sun. Improved retting using better water and proper bundling clearly raises the grade. Your KVK can show local improved retting and bacterial retting methods that use less water.