Research

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Title :

Harnessing the Potention of Rice-Follow Lands for Fibre Flax Production for High Quality Raw Flax Fibre Production

Area of research :

Life Sciences & Biotechnology

Principal Investigator :

Dr. Prithwiraj Dey, Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, West Bengal

Timeline Start Year :

2024

Timeline End Year :

2026

Contact info :

Equipments :

Details

Executive Summary :

To address the rising demand for linen textiles in India and worldwide, this project proposal seeks to maximise the potential of rice-fallow areas for fibre flax farming. Around 70% of India's raw industrial flax fibre supply comes from countries like China, Egypt, Canada, and Europe as imports. This proposal intends to develop a lucrative and sustainable flax farming strategy that can lessen reliance on imported raw flax fibres, assist domestic growers, and lower the market price of linen textile materials. It might encourage the export of high-quality finished linen textiles and raw flax fibres to international markets. The research will look into stress management strategies and proper moisture conservation measures suitable for growing fibre flax under the challenging conditions of rice-fallow fields in Eastern India. The effective ways of moisture conservation to support the fibre flax growth with residual soil moisture and impacts of stress tolerance imparting managemental aspects will be tested through field experimentations for consecutive seasons. The project's secondary goal is to scientifically develop and evaluate methods for flax retting that conserve water during the post-harvest processing stage. Overall, the project aims to create a sustainable and profitable flax farming system in Eastern India utilising fallow lands while promoting environmentally friendly farming practices and contributing to the growth of the local economy.

Total Budget (INR):

29,67,918

Organizations involved