Bamboo in Orissa: Trade and Livelihood Perspective - Vasundhara

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A Supplement on Cane
Cane 41 (Calamus tenius), otherwise known as rattan, was the only raw material which many
bamboo artisans used to process in addition to bamboo. Cane products are comparatively
much more durable and sophisticated than bamboo products, and are hence costlier and
considered as either luxury items(like furniture) or sacred(like the mana).
The recorded production of cane in 1999-2000 was 1399 pieces valued at 0.003 lakh
rupees(i.e., Rs.3000), as estimated by the Statistical Section of the Office of the PCCF,
Orissa. This however does not seem to have included production from private lands.
Cane was not a specified forest produce in the state as per the Forest Produce(Control and
Trade) Act,1981. It was leased out by the Forest Department. In March 2000, the govt
placed cane under the category of lease-barred items which can be commercially harvested
by govt agencies(like Forest Department, Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation,
etc.) only provided that sustainability is ensured. This is probably because of the fact that
wild occurrence of cane in the govt forests has become very limited either due to
unsustainable exploitation, or the super cyclone of 1999. As per an assessment of 1999, the
potentiality of cane in the state was as under:
Forest Division Potentiality in numbers
Athagarh 76800
Dhenkanal 20000
Balliguda 15000
Ghumsur South 33280
Nayagarh 39680
Puri 62000
Parlakhemundi 800 bundles()
(Courtesy: Statistical Section, PCCF’s Office)
In isolated areas like the Konark-Balukhand sanctuary, cane is reportedly abundant; but
there is a ban on its collection (like other NTFPs and timber) from the Protected Areas,
and outside PAs, leases for commercial exploitation are not to be normally allowed in the
govt forests.
The above table indicates a potentiality of more or less 3 lakh pieces. In 1989-90, the
recorded production of cane was 3024000(Statistical Branch: PCCF’s Office, Orissa
Forests 1993), i.e., about 10 times of this presumed potentiality. Between 1992-93 and
1994-95, the average annual production was 118847 pieces(Orissa Forest 1999, p.32).
However, by 1999-2000, it was reduced by more than 99%(as compared to the production
of 1989-90).
41 When used to imply to a species/plant, as here, cane is the source of the raw material. On the other hand,
often the term is used to refer to the thin strips extracted from bamboo-, rattan- or other such culms/stems.
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