The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>The</strong> PCS<br />
<strong>The</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> market particip<strong>an</strong>ts are:<br />
● State Forest Department<br />
● <strong>Bamboo</strong> cutters<br />
● <strong>Bamboo</strong> weavers<br />
● <strong>The</strong> Kerala State <strong>Bamboo</strong> Corporation Ltd. (KSBC)<br />
● Private traders<br />
<strong>The</strong> bulk <strong>of</strong> the reed bamboo used <strong>in</strong> mat weav<strong>in</strong>g grows <strong>in</strong> state-owned forest<br />
l<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>s. <strong>The</strong> Forest Department allocates bamboo cutt<strong>in</strong>g rights among three corporate<br />
entities: H<strong>in</strong>dust<strong>an</strong> Newspr<strong>in</strong>t Ltd. (HNL), Grasim Industries (also a pulp comp<strong>an</strong>y)<br />
<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> KSBC. In addition, cutt<strong>in</strong>g rights are assigned to bamboo workers liv<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong><br />
5 km <strong>of</strong> the forest boundary under rules <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> conditions me<strong>an</strong>t to protect the resources<br />
from overexploitation.<br />
Thus, there are three legal ch<strong>an</strong>nels for extraction <strong>of</strong> the resource. "Head-load<br />
passes" are made available to <strong>in</strong>dividual bamboo workers for their own consumption<br />
or for sale to KSBC. <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustrial sector use wage laborers to cut quota allotted to<br />
them. For example, HNL operates through 50 contractors for their reed supply. <strong>The</strong><br />
contractors hire cutters, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> issue them with cutt<strong>in</strong>g passes obta<strong>in</strong>ed from the Forest<br />
Department. Sometimes adv<strong>an</strong>ce payment is <strong>of</strong>fered to attract cutters. HNL is liable<br />
for <strong>of</strong>fenses committed by the cutters, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s several zonal <strong>of</strong>fices to monitor<br />
the cutt<strong>in</strong>g activities. Contractors may be fired for poor perform<strong>an</strong>ce.<br />
KSBC issues passes to cutters who supply a m<strong>in</strong>imum <strong>of</strong> Rs 1 000 worth <strong>of</strong> reeds<br />
per year (US$1 = Rs 35.86). However, dur<strong>in</strong>g some seasons when cutters are occupied<br />
elsewhere, this threshold may be reduced to as low as Rs 200. It stipulates that cutters<br />
should respect forest laws. Photo passes are issues for a period <strong>of</strong> three years.<br />
Violations <strong>of</strong> cutt<strong>in</strong>g rules c<strong>an</strong> be punished by revok<strong>in</strong>g or by not renew<strong>in</strong>g the pass.<br />
<strong>The</strong> registered cutters tr<strong>an</strong>sport their reeds to one <strong>of</strong> several reed collection centers<br />
(RCCs). <strong>The</strong>re are five RCCs <strong>in</strong> the Angamaly cluster. <strong>The</strong> RC supervisor is responsible<br />
for grad<strong>in</strong>g <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> pric<strong>in</strong>g reeds, pay<strong>in</strong>g wages to cutters, dispatch<strong>in</strong>g workers <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
tr<strong>an</strong>sport, org<strong>an</strong>iz<strong>in</strong>g passes from the Forest Department <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> select<strong>in</strong>g cutters.<br />
Pric<strong>in</strong>g is highly discrim<strong>in</strong>atory: <strong>in</strong>dustrial consumers pay Rs 0.10/reed while<br />
traditional craft workers pay Rs 0.50/reed.<br />
This complex system suffers from resource allocation problems. It is <strong>in</strong>tended<br />
that cutt<strong>in</strong>g passes be issued to genu<strong>in</strong>e bamboo workers. Cutters have to prove that<br />
they are genu<strong>in</strong>e bamboo workers by show<strong>in</strong>g that they have cut bamboo worth at<br />
least Rs 3 000 <strong>in</strong> the previous year <strong>in</strong> order to qualify for a pass. As it is necessary<br />
to have a pass to cut bamboo, this rule effectively prohibits the entry <strong>of</strong> new workers.<br />
26