RAJSHAHI, June 4, 2018 (BSS) – Demand of bamboo baskets and crafts are
gradually increasing amidst boosting production of vegetables and various
seasonal fruits like mango, litchi, papaya and tomato in the region.
Growers and traders said bamboo baskets are suitable and appropriate for
carrying and transporting of the seasonal fruits than any other plastic box
and basket.
“We are dependent on the eco-friendly bamboo basket for keeping and
carrying the newly harvested fruits,” said Nazrul Islam, a grower-cum-seller
of litchi at Shaheb Bazar in Rajshahi city.
Talking to BSS he said bamboo basket keeps litchi and mango cool and
green for several hours. There is no alternative to use it for running the
business of mango and litchi successfully.
“I have been using bamboo basket for the daylong vending vegetables for
long around 15 years,” said Azizul Islam, a vegetable vendor of Shayampur
village under Matiher Police Station.
Professor Dr Golam Mostofa of Institute of Environmental Sciences of
Rajshahi University said more than 10,000 people are involved in
manufacturing bamboo baskets and crafts in the region.
Most of them are women and aborigines and bamboo products are their main
sources of their income. Apart from this, around 30,000 other people are
completely dependent on trading of those for their livelihood.
The manufacturers collect bamboo from local markets and sell the
processed items locally while small traders purchase the items from different
villages and sell those to various regional markets.
The bamboo baskets are widely used for carrying betel leaf and other
seasonal fruits especially mango, tomato, papaya, guava and jujube and demand
of the bamboo handicrafts have enhanced to a greater extent during harvesting
and marketing of the fruits.
Dr Mostofa underscored the need for promoting the sector for poverty
alleviation of the disadvantaged group of people.
Market expansion of environment-friendly bamboo products and successful
manufacturing of those can eradicate their poverty.
Interested nursery owners should be given necessary training on bamboo
sapling production and branch cutting method, in collaboration with the
Bangladesh Forest Research Institute and the Social Forestry Department, to
enhance bamboo production.
Importance should be given on conducting survey in different high price
markets including Dhaka and other commercial hubs to build linkage between
the wholesalers and producers.
He viewed that the bamboo traders, product manufacturers and businessmen
should be brought under the existing micro-credit programmes.