The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR

There also appears to be scope to reach higher-value markets with improved
product quality and design. The current products are mainly utilitarian. The higher
prices earned by decorative products sold on at the festivals indicate that there may
be a market for other bamboo handicrafts. There is need for further market research
and some assistance in designing and marketing new products. Another useful
intervention would be to provide improved processing technologies; simple tools for
splitting and slivering bamboo, for example, would reduce drudgery and increase
quality consistency of finished products.
Natural Forest-based Bamboo Production-to-consumption System:
A Case Study from Central India 7
Introduction
Bamboo is an extremely important resource in India. There are 125 indigenous
and exotic species of bamboo growing in the country. Over an area of more than 10
million ha or 12.8% of the total forest area. It is used for agricultural implements,
handicrafts, construction, food, fodder, medicine and, increasingly, as a raw material
in industries.
This study investigated a natural-forest based bamboo system in the state of
Madhya Pradesh 8 . The research sites included three blocks of five villages each in the
central part of the state.
The bamboo system
The bamboo forests, like all forest resources in India, are owned and managed
by the State. The Forest Department makes bamboo available through a chain of
depots to a range of consumers, including:
● Bamboo craft workers/artisans (Basods);
● Betel vine cultivators (Pan barejas);
● Agriculturists;
● Tribals and forest dwellers;
● Bamboo-based small-scale industries; and
● Large-scale paper and rayon factories.
7 By Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehra Dun, India.
8 Because there are so many user groups participating in several small bamboo PCS, the authors elected
to overview the whole bamboo system rather than select a single PCS.
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