Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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those states were found to be more customer-friendly. About 30000 MT bamboo is also
being supplied annually to the paper mills from the resources available on the private
lands of Khunta-Udala area of Mayurbhanj district. It may be noted here that although the
company has stressed on propagation of hardwood species, it has a nursery for bamboo;
and is ready to provide required quantities of plantlets of bamboo either free-of-cost or at a
negligible price, to the interested growers.
Local suppliers of industrial bamboo
Three private traders of Mayurbhanj district, two stationed at Betonoti and the other at
Baripada, have been supplying industrial bamboo to the paper mills since many years.
Several small depots of Khunta-Udala area supply them this bamboo. The local people of
Khunta-Udala area have bamboo clumps in their private lands and sell few culms at the
time of need(of cash) at these depots approximately @Rs.80/quintal provided the culm is
cut into two or three pieces so that each piece can be of the length between 3 to 6 feet. Some
times thorny bamboo is also supplied and the grower takes the responsibility of clearing the
thorns. Since only few culms are sold by each grower, he himself manages to bring them to
the depot. If however labourers are employed, then the charge is Rs.2 to 3 per piece of long
bamboo for cutting (and clearing thorns, if necessary); or if the stock is of considerable
quantity, then Rs.30/quintal. On the other hand, if the grower supplies bamboo to the depot
without cutting and clearing, then he gets a price of Rs.50/quintal. If he has a large stock,
then the depot-owner makes his own arrangement to bring the material from the grower’s
place.
The big traders of Betonoti and Baripada purchase this bamboo at prices ranging between
Rs.90 to 105 per quintal(i.e., Rs.900 to 1050 per MT). Since there is a weight loss of about
10% on the drying of bamboo culms within 7 to 10 days of harvest, this is not overlooked
by the traders and the price is fixed accordingly. Transportation is their responsibility and
they supply this bamboo to the paper mills at about Rs.1100/MT. To include sales tax plus
transportation charges, the landing cost finally comes to about Rs.2500/MT at the paper mill
gate.
Last year the mills paid Rs.2200 to 2300 per MT, but this year the price has increased
owing to the hike in transportation charges(following the hike in diesel price). Both the
mills and the suppliers seem to be satisfied with the current arrangement.
Supply of industrial bamboo is usually a seasonal business more or less confined to the
rainy season because the loss of moisture is minimum during that period. More the
moisture, greater is the weight; and hence greater is the valuation. During summer the
weight loss can be as high as 20% within the few days stocking (per comm.., Ravi Rout).
Usually, this kind of bamboo contains 40% moisture.
The nearest forest in the Khunta-Udala area is Shimilipal where no bamboo forests are
found. Hence, transportation of some daba pieces is not a problem as the Forest Department
knows that almost all the bamboo supplied from this area comes from private land and
belongs to the unrestricted species. Clearing of thorns and inclusion of the pieces in the pile
of unrestricted species helps the traders further.
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