Processing of Mesta fibres in textile industries

摘要

ALTHOUGH cotton is highly versatile with properties suitable for apparel, certain properties that are desirable are not available with cotton. Hence it has become necessary to find out fibres that could bridge the gap between the required and existing properties. One such answer to the problem is provided by mesta which is a bast fibre taken from stalk of the mesta plant. Earlier some research work has been done on some aspects relating to blending of mesta with jute and also jute with viscose. Investigations on blending of jute with mesta fibres have shown that the latter could be a cheaper substitute for the former. Mesta is a bast fibre, which grows extensively in India and in some parts of Eastern Asia. It is used as a substitute for jute. It is a herbaceous annual plant (lignocellulosic bast fibre crop like jute) believed to be originated from Afro- Asian countries, ranks next to jute in importance (sharing 15% of raw jute-cum-mesta fibre production). Mesta is more adaptive and drought tolerant than jute under diverse conditions of climate and soil. In India (2010-11), area under mesta is around 85 thousand hectares with a fibre production of 6.2 lakh bales ( One bale is equal to 180 kg) Andhra Pradesh (A.P) is a leading state in the country with respect to both area and production which accounts for 30 per cent of the area and 42 per cent of the production. In A.P., mesta is concentrated in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts accounting for 98.7% area of total area in the State.