Kenaf, which is grown in the tropics, is an herbaceous annual plant in the family Malvaceae. In use, kenaf frequently substitutes for jute. Some of the processing stages, such as retting, are similar. An important use for kenaf is in paper production, in which both the bark and wood core are pulped. The types of paper made from kenaf range from cigarette paper to vacuum dust bag paper. Mixing kenaf with low grade pulps from such sources as straw and bagasse increases the strength of the paper. A liquid byproduct of pulping kenaf has use as a fertilizer, particularly on heavy soils. Oil and protein extracted from the kenaf seed have use in animal feeds. Bangladesh cultivates about 200,000 acres of kenaf. Increases in cultivation will probably occur because of its resistance to disease and insects, ease of cultivation, and high productivity.