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
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that farmers should improve the st<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>s dur<strong>in</strong>g the contract period. <strong>The</strong>re has been<br />
some subsequent readjustment <strong>of</strong> rents <strong>in</strong> <strong>an</strong> attempt to respond equitably to ch<strong>an</strong>ges<br />
<strong>in</strong> family size/need.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se reforms ch<strong>an</strong>ged the <strong>in</strong>centive structure fundamentally. Farmers were able<br />
to capture the benefits <strong>of</strong> production above the rental ch<strong>an</strong>ges. As the rent was based<br />
on part production figures, the farmers captured 100% <strong>of</strong> the benefits <strong>of</strong> productivity<br />
improvements. <strong>The</strong> results, <strong>in</strong> terms <strong>of</strong> production <strong>in</strong>creases, were startl<strong>in</strong>g. Total<br />
moso production rose progressively from 9.5 million culms <strong>in</strong> 1981 to 17.3 million<br />
culms <strong>in</strong> 1995. Other bamboo production also <strong>in</strong>creased at a similar rate.<br />
Me<strong>an</strong>while the dem<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> for bamboo raw material was stimulated by reforms<br />
affect<strong>in</strong>g rural <strong>in</strong>dustry. After 1980, state controls on <strong>in</strong>dustry were relaxed, lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to rapid growth <strong>in</strong> rural <strong>in</strong>dustry, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g bamboo process<strong>in</strong>g. An 'Open Market<br />
Policy' removed price controls <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> monopoly market<strong>in</strong>g, allow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustries to obta<strong>in</strong><br />
raw material at market prices. From 1957 through to the late 1970s, the state regulated<br />
bamboo trade through a 'Supply <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> Market<strong>in</strong>g Cooperative (SMC)' that purchased<br />
all agricultural products, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g bamboo, at a controlled price. In the early 1980s,<br />
the monopoly market<strong>in</strong>g system was ch<strong>an</strong>ged to a contract system. <strong>The</strong> prov<strong>in</strong>ce then<br />
set 'purchase assignments', which were essentially productions quotas. Farmers were<br />
permitted to process <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> market extra production. In 1985, bamboo was reclassified,<br />
effectively remov<strong>in</strong>g all price <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> trade control. <strong>The</strong> market was open for <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
traders <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> private trade comp<strong>an</strong>ies. This led to a fundamental ch<strong>an</strong>ge <strong>in</strong> the market:<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1983 less th<strong>an</strong> 2 million moso culms were traded privately; by 1994 almost 16<br />
million culms were traded privately <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> less th<strong>an</strong> 23 000 culms were traded through<br />
the SMC.<br />
A r<strong>an</strong>ge <strong>of</strong> township <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> village enterprises, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> later private sector enterprises,<br />
were encouraged as a me<strong>an</strong>s to stimulate the market. In 1984, the policy was re<strong>in</strong>forced<br />
with new regulations permitt<strong>in</strong>g private <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> collective <strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> non-agricultural<br />
enterprises. Later jo<strong>in</strong>t-venture <strong>in</strong>vestment was also permitted. <strong>The</strong> first bamboobased<br />
jo<strong>in</strong>t ventures <strong>in</strong> the county were established <strong>in</strong> 1989. <strong>The</strong>se activities, supported<br />
by efforts at the local government level to coord<strong>in</strong>ate the activities <strong>of</strong> various agencies,<br />
resulted <strong>in</strong> the rapid growth <strong>of</strong> bamboo process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustries. As <strong>of</strong> 1985, there were<br />
154 bamboo process<strong>in</strong>g enterprises <strong>in</strong> Anji County, <strong>of</strong> which 43 (about 28%) were<br />
privately run. By 1995, there were 527, with 320 (61%) <strong>of</strong> them be<strong>in</strong>g privately owned<br />
(with 18 jo<strong>in</strong>t ventures). <strong>The</strong> jo<strong>in</strong>t ventures have been especially import<strong>an</strong>t <strong>in</strong> terms<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>troduc<strong>in</strong>g new products <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> new mech<strong>an</strong>ized process<strong>in</strong>g technologies. <strong>The</strong><br />
Ch<strong>in</strong>ese comp<strong>an</strong>ies have been quick to adopt <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> adapt the new technologies. For<br />
example, several k<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese-built bamboo process<strong>in</strong>g mach<strong>in</strong>es are now be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
used. <strong>The</strong>y are less expensive <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>, <strong>in</strong> some cases, they are reputed to be better th<strong>an</strong><br />
the orig<strong>in</strong>als.<br />
<strong>The</strong> rapid exp<strong>an</strong>sion <strong>in</strong> the volume <strong>of</strong> production has been matched by dramatic<br />
qualitative ch<strong>an</strong>ges. Production has shifted from farm tools, simple furniture <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
utensils toward much more sophisticated products aimed at the consumer market.<br />
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