Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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requirement have also increased the scope of marketing the CB. Non-harvesting of forest
bamboo(IB) led to a loss of about Rs. 400 million/year on the bamboo itself, alongwith a
loss of Rs.70 million/year on royalty, Rs.10 million/year on sales tax, Rs.7 million/year on
silvicultural expenses, and Rs.105 million/year on labours' wages (Sharda A.K., op.cit.).
Organised marketing of forest bamboo started in Orissa on a large scale when the Bird &
Heilger Co. established its Forest Organisation at Angul during the British period. This
company had the largest forest organisation in the Eastern India, and supplied bamboo to
five states. It also owned paper mills one of which was the TP Mill. Straw Products
Ltd.(later known as JK Crops and then as JK Paper) established a similar organisation at
Rayagada in 1954 followed by the establishment of its paper mill in 1962. These two
companies had the legal status of a lessee.
Following is an account of the marketing status of various types of bamboo and bamboo
products depending upon their use:
1. Bamboo for tenants use:
In Keonjhar state the rates were Rs.10 and Rs.5 for 1000 pieces of daba and salia
respectively during the early decades of 20th century. In Ranpur state, the rates were Rs.1.5
and Rs.3 respectively for 100 pieces of salia and kanta, in 1940s.In Angul Divn, both salia
and daba was charged @one anna per 5 pieces(or fraction thereof), in 1942. In Ghumsur
North, the rates were 1.5 annas for 10 pieces of salia, in 1938-46 (Vasundhara 2000
mimeo, Aspects of Garjat Forestry, pp.104,112,232-33).
After independence, the schedule of rates were revised in 1977 for all the districts of the
state. These rates for bamboo however remained unchanged for years despite increase in
the production cost(for OFDC) and market prices.
Price of commercial bamboo, supplied by OFDC, varied from Re.0.95 to Rs.3.30 per piece
of salia, and from Rs.4.25 to Rs.6 per piece of daba, in 1989(proceeding of the meeting of
the Emp. Committee on 23.1.89). In Nov. 2003, the price of salia CB was fixed as under:
Price:
Rs.9.80
Orissa Sales Tax(12%): Rs.1.17
Surcharge(@10% over OST): Re.0.12
Rs.11.09
Forest Dev. Tax(1%): Re.0.11
Rs.11.20
Income tax(2.5%): Re.0.28
Additional income tax(2.5%): Re.0.28
Total:
Rs.11.76
Hence, the sale price of salia CB was fixed at Rs.11.76 or Rs.12 per piece. Similarly, price
for daba was fixed at Rs.22.15/piece, plus taxes and surcharge(as in case of salia).
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