In-Depth Quantitative Analysis of Saharanpur Wood Handicraft Industry on the Specific Issues of Availability and Supply of Raw Material

Abstract

The study was undertaken with the objectives to survey the source and chain of procurement process of the various types of wood being used in the market, assess their requirement of the kind of suitable wood preferred for a particular item of woodcraft for marketing in the particular countries and to explore the potential of alternate wood species which can be adopted by an artisan with existing technology/up-gradation of technology. The study was conducted through the collection of secondary data and primary data. The primary data was collected through a preliminary survey, a standardized questionnaire survey of various components of stakeholder’s namely (a) manufacturers and exporters, (b) commission agents/brokers, (c) traders, and(d) artisans. The present study revealed that 58% of manufactures and exporters and 86.38% of craftsmen agreed that the raw material procurement chain starts from the farmer’s field to Middleman then Commission agents and goes to the Craftsman. The majority of stakeholders responded that the middleman is the most important in the supply chain of the wood procurement process. The survey indicated that there is 0-5% incremental cost in every stage of the raw material procurement process and the approximately total incremental cost of wood is between 5-10% due to the existing supply chain. The data analysis related to a sequence of most demanding wood species for wood carving work indicated that 60% of commission agents/brokers responded for the sequence of Mango>Shisham>Poplar>Other, whereas 56.50% manufacturers and others. 83.33% commission agents/brokers, 85.71% manufacturers, and exporters, 97.87% traders, 98.26% craftsman responded negatively to the existence of imported wood species in the Saharanpur wood market.