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

There are separate depots for Nistars, Basods and other consumers. The most
disadvantaged group, which is most dependent on bamboo, is the Basods. They are
generally very poor, landless and have comparatively low levels of literacy (between
36 and 52% in the villages surveyed).
Basods require green bamboo for their crafts. As the bamboo provided by the
Forest Department is usually dry by the time it gets to the depot, a majority of them
(60-90%) prefers to collect bamboo illegally. Different articles are made depending on
the season. Some of these articles are sold door-to-door in cities and towns within a
radius of about 40 km and the rest are sold in town markets. A small group of Basods
(10-25%) sells to intermediaries (brokers/agents) who, in turn, sell the goods in town
markets. Earnings ranged from as much as Rs 79/day for some articles to as low as
Rs 3.5/day. The average amount earned was Rs 19.16/day.
The annual requirement for bamboo per Basod family was 29 000 to 51 000
culms, making the Forest Department allotment of 1 500 look rather ridiculous. Even
this target is seldom met owing to poor availability of bamboo. Based on the number
of Basod families, the requirements of the three blocks were 50 000 to 67 500 culms
per year, while actual deliveries were 8 000 to 12 000.
A second major bamboo consumer group is the Pan barejas, who use large amounts
of bamboo to make trellises, stakes and shade supports needed for betel vine
cultivation. They also use a large number of baskets and bamboo mats. Each Pan
bareja is entitled to receive 1 000 culms per year. But the Forest Department is able
to deliver only 100-150 culms per year to each. Other (mostly illegal) sources are
therefore used. As most Pan barejas are unable to get adequate supplies of bamboo,
they use tree branches also. Purchase of baskets, bamboo and substitute materials
constitutes the largest cost component of a Pan bareja's enterprise. Indeed, if it were
not possible to procure bamboo illegally at reduced costs, pan growing would be an
unprofitable business.
Industrial bamboo consumers are the largest consumers of bamboo in the country.
The steady increase in demand has resulted in overexploitation and rapid depletion
of natural stands. The demand for forest-based raw materials for the paper industry
alone is projected to reach 7.53 million tons by the year 2000. At current production
levels, this would mean a shortage of 4.32 million tons.
In Madhya Pradesh, there are 16 paper mills employing over 15 000 people. All
of them use bamboo as their raw material. The government has agreements with
several of them to supply bamboo at the 1996 price of Rs 1 279/ton. However, the
Forest Department has been unable to keep this commitment. The mills have been
augmenting their supplies of raw material with bamboo purchased from the open
market from as far away as West Bengal and Assam at a price of between Rs 2 500
to Rs 3 000/ton. Even this rate is probably well below the true cost of the material
as it is sourced from state land at subsidized prices.
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