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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Consequently, there is a substantial 'informal sector' of cutters, with at least 10% of bamboo cutters working illegally. Nevertheless, their product is mostly sold through KSBC as the system, though illegal, has been institutionalized. .......... ➤ Consumer Marketing Manufacturing Semi-Processing Wholesale Regional Trader Local Trader Post Harvest Treatment Raw Material Production ....... ➤ Low Capital Intensity ➤ High Indicates Tranformation in Ownership Indicates Transformation Point Indicates Vertical Integration Fig. 4: Bamboo PCS in Kerala, India ➤ There is also a strong secondary market for cutting rights. Most people want to keep their cutting rights, even if they do not want to actually work as bamboo cutters, owing to the reason cited above. In addition to the security of having bamboo cutting as an option to fall back upon, registered bamboo workers also get many ancillary benefits. This leads to many people sub-letting their cutting rights while retaining the other benefits for themselves. Poor tribal people (adivasis) looking for employment cut reeds on a piece-work basis. They get paid Rs 150-175 for reeds worth Rs 200 by the permit holder, who then sells to the depot. 27
A large amount of bamboo also 'leaks' to private traders. The largest source seems to be head-load pass holders. The private traders are willing and able to give advance payments for the bamboo. They are perceived to be more trustworthy, and they pay more quickly and on better terms than KSBC. Hence, the head-load pass holders and other cutters divert some of their produce to private traders. The weavers obtain their raw material through the KSBC. There are separate Mat Depot and sub-depots that arrange adequate supplies of reed from the RCCs and distribute reeds to registered weavers. The reeds are 'advanced' to the weavers, who take the woven mats back to the depot for sale, at which time the value of the advanced raw material is deducted from the payment. The Mat Depots are also responsible to ensure that the reed-to-mat ratio is correct (to guard against weavers diverting reed or mats to private traders) and to arrange the transport of mats of Angamaly. The weavers do not sell directly to consumers, and they do not have access to market information. Even the product specifications (mat dimensions) are determined by KSBC. In effect, KSBC controls all functions in the market chain. KSBC was set up specifically to replace private traders. But as in the raw material trade, private mat traders have re-emerged. They are able to procure small numbers of mats from KSBC traders. If they can procure raw material they can also contract larger volumes of mats. There is also a reed distribution center (RDC) where reed is sold to traditional basket and handicrafts makers (mainly Sambavas). Bamboo weaving was traditionally done by landless agricultural laborers, mainly people from the Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes, as a leisure time/off-season occupation, and as part of their feudal obligation to the landed class. This situation changed radically as bamboo mat emerged as an important tradable commodity. As bamboo work is associated with backward classes and hence "backwardness", able-bodied males prefer not to get involved in this work and prefer to let it be done at home by women who are otherwise unable to enter the labor market because of time constraints. Angamaly area is relatively rich agriculturally, there are good employment prospects in the agriculture sector. Many laborers work in agricultural fields in season and weave during off-season. Wages for farm work are much higher than for bamboo work ---- Rs 75 for 8 hours of farm work versus Rs 40 for 12 hours of bamboo work. There are, however, a number of other benefits for a bamboo worker. KSBC gives an annual bonus (11.5% of turnover), and provides health and accident insurance cover, food subsidy, education subsidy, and even a 'marriage contribution' for daughters of all registered bamboo workers. Local political leaders use bamboo workers as 'vote banks' and therefore protect the benefits of the workers and also their illegal acts in return for political support. This has led to the operation of unauthorized channels through which at least 22% of mats move. A major feature is the home-based character of the production activity. The concept of material cost and labor cost do not figure directly. The market agent 28
Page 1 and 2: The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in As
Page 3 and 4: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This assessment wo
Page 5 and 6: FOREWORD A review of the bamboo and
Page 7 and 8: that would be useful and applicable
Page 9 and 10: 2 DATABASE STUDIES One of the first
Page 11 and 12: The study in Indonesia produced two
Page 13 and 14: and opportunities throughout the sy
Page 15 and 16: information sharing, to consolidate
Page 17 and 18: amboo products. There are tradition
Page 19 and 20: egular clients and relatives. Brahm
Page 21 and 22: utilization plan. Forest Department
Page 23 and 24: and storage containers are sometime
Page 25 and 26: There also appears to be scope to r
Page 27 and 28: and many districts in other parts o
Page 29 and 30: Constraints and opportunities This
Page 31: The PCS The main market participant
Page 35 and 36: entrepreneur as the key agent and p
Page 37 and 38: Many of the small bamboo stands are
Page 39 and 40: Plantation development The authors
Page 41 and 42: households to be managed as family
Page 43 and 44: Products such as several kinds of m
Page 45 and 46: Currently, rattan produced in Laos
Page 47 and 48: The villagers go to the forest for
Page 49 and 50: Constraints and opportunities There
Page 51 and 52: ● Provincial traders ● Semi-pro
Page 53 and 54: For example, rattan cutting permits
Page 55 and 56: Recommendations include: 1. Develop
Page 57 and 58: .......... ➤ Consumer Marketing M
Page 59 and 60: Laborers in the semi-processing fac
Page 61 and 62: and reduced transaction costs downs
Page 63 and 64: Rattan farmers grow rattan as one o
Page 65 and 66: Rattan is sold by weight in Indones
Page 67 and 68: Rattan in Java, Indonesia: a Case S
Page 69 and 70: 1. Scarcity of daily workers; 2. Li
Page 71 and 72: aw material, trading of raw materia
Page 73 and 74: 4 DISCUSSION The studies, carried o
Page 75 and 76: that they might be able to get for
Page 77 and 78: trend is the increasing use of subs
Page 79 and 80: to do replacement planting, and the
Page 81 and 82: Technical Issues While the SE progr
Page 83 and 84:
● The issue of property rights al
Page 85 and 86:
technology development and farmer-m
Page 87 and 88:
Policy Constraints Studies have ide
Page 89:
BIBLIOGRAPHY Anonymous. 1996. Value
show all

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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?