Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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Bidi peti: the lost charm
About 3000 HHs of bamboo artisans of Bhatara, Munder, Mathapali and Talpali etc. were
critically dependant on the business of bbidi-peti supply to the bidi factories of
Sambalpur/Jharsuguda. Almost all of them are landless, and whereas traditional items
could fetch them max. Rs.400 to 500 per HH/month, bidi-peti alone helped them earn
Rs.1000 to 1200/month/HH. Hence, they used to concentrate on this item. The demand of
bidi-peti was almost constant(about 10000 per week in the two districts, The Statesman,
Orissa page, 27-4-04) throughout the year, unlike traditional products; and bidi-companies
sometimes used to make their own arrangement to procure the containers from them.
Bringing bamboo from the local forest and then processing it to make one such container
normally takes one man-day and the sale price varied from Rs.20 to 22 per piece
depending on the size. However, since about 5 years the bidi-companies have either
reduced or stopped their procurement since they say that with the decreasing demand of
bidi, paper-containers rather seem to be more affordable than such bamboo-containers. As
such, the bidi company that used to procure about 1000 pieces of bidi-peti from the
Turipada hamlet of Munder village, per month; has now stopped procurement from this
village. Few artisans of the neighbouring hamlet Munder Indira Awas have somehow
persuaded another bidi company to take their product as a result of which they are now
able to sell about 60 pieces per month though it is only 10% of the number earlier
supplied. Persuasion succeeded partly at the cost of a lower price(i.e., Rs.16/piece) though
now the company has agreed to pay Rs.20; but this does not mean that there is a demand
from the user side.
Almost absolute dependency on bidi-peti left these people in lurch after the demand was
lost. They now seek some external help for their livelihood support(per comm.., Tulasi
Behera, Gulu Behera, and villagers of Munder Turipada).
Sena has now but few takers. This winnow-like product is used for lifting and throwing
water often for limited irrigational purposes; but with the growing use of water pumps, it is
now difficult for the artisans of Gadagopalpur village to sell it at even Rs.30/piece though
the actual price should be more than double. Earlier, in each weekly haat the sale rate of
sena was about 10 to 12 pieces per family(artisan); but now there is hardly any sale(per
comm.., Parvati Mallik and Jalandhar Mallik). The production of this item has therefore
decreased to its minimum and a day may come when it could be seen only in museums.
Oodara/nodara is still used in rural areas, but the demand has decreased substantially after
tractor was used to bring construction materials like sand, and other items of commerce. At
Gania weekly haat, about 80 pieces used to be sold per week three decades ago, but now
there is hardly any sale. Doli that was sold @100 pieces per week at that time has now
reduced to a sale rate of about 25 pieces per month, say the artisans of Gania.
Steel/aluminium drums and other substitutes are now available for storing paddy/rice.
In intra-village business there is almost no scope/role for/of a middleman; but in intervillage
business, particularly where the distance between the manufacturer(artisan) and the
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