Supported By :
National Mission on Bamboo Applications,
TIFAC, Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India, New Delhi-16, India.
Organized By :
Bodoland Bamboo Development Board,
Bodoland Territorial Council, Kokrajhar-783370, India.
Technology Partner By :
Andhra Pradesh Technology Development & Promotion Centre,
Hyderabad-500015, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Important Points in Bodoland area:
1.Creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities thru utilization of bamboo resource is the prime objective
2.Bamboo sticks making activity provides additional income to the Non-forest or forest dependant communities, while working from their homes
3.Thru making sticks for Incense stick (agarbathi) industry, sale price of ton of bamboo is multiplied by 8 to 9 times (Rs.2,000/- per ton of bamboo & Rs.16,000/- to Rs.18,000/- per ton for sticks).
4.Approximate recovery of sticks from slivers : 75% by weight
5.Approximate recovery of sticks from bamboos : 40% for 8” sticks / 50% for 9” sticks / 60% for 10” sticks (by weight) i.e. approximately - 2.5 ton / 2.0 ton / 1.5 ton of bamboos for making one ton of 8” sticks / 9” sticks / 10” sticks respectively.
6.Any reduction in pricing of bamboos, compared to open sale value of pole, is, towards providing sustainable livelihoods with reasonable earnings while meeting the market pricing.
Tools & Gadgets:
1.Table mounted wood working saw
2.Peelers (peetalu – big & small)
3.Grinding stone for polishing of worn out peeler blades
4.Waste rubber cycle tube
5.Jute twine / plastic sutli
6.Poly-sacks (used urea bags to reduce cost of packing)
7.Weighing balance
8.Permanent marker (bold sketch pen)
9.Ledgers / bill books etc., for record keeping
10.Display boards to indicate - orders to be delivered, stock position, targets, sale price & payments for various stages of processing etc.,
Quality aspects :
1.Bamboo Sticks have to be free from epidermal layer (bamboo skin), which prevents sticking of charcoal, saw dust and other ingredients mix (masala)
2.All sticks have to be of equal dimensions, in terms of cross section & length
3.To meet the count (number of sticks per kg) for the respective lengths of sticks
4.Sticks have to be free from loose fibres, which causes un-even surface and poor sticking & separation of masala, during rolling, packing & usage.
5.Moisture present in sticks should have to be within the prescribed limit to avoid formation of stains, due to fungal attack during storage, transport.
Stepwise Process of making bamboo sticks:
1.Harvesting & transportation of bamboo : Bamboos are to be harvested as per the suggested practice & transported to Gaurang Bamboo Training Center - by suitable means
2.Cross cutting in Center : Bamboos have to be cross cut to the required size, 8” / 9”/10” etc., using a wood working saw
3.Sliver making in center : Cross cuts (bamboo pipes) have to be manually converted into slivers using heavy duty peelers (pedda peetalu), laid on floor or mounted on stands
4.Stick Making by individuals at their homes : Slivers have to be manually converted into sticks, using light duty peelers, (chinna peetalu) laid on floor, at Gaurang residences
5.Drying : Sticks are to be dried under the sun, on stone / cemented surfaces by individuals at their residences
6.Removal of loose fibres : Immediately after drying, sticks have to be tied together with a waste rubber cycle tube and rubbed on a rough surface (road / stone) and do tapping
7.Bundling & Transporting of sticks to Training Center : after removing loose fibres, sticks have to be bundled and sent to Center
8.Quality checking in Center : sticks have to be checked for uniform cross section, length, count, top skin (epidermal layer), loose fibres, stains & luster
9.Final Packing : individual bundles will be packed in poly-sacks (used urea bags) & marked as per the need
10.Conversion charges : Payments will be made to members, depending on the effort involved at specific stage of conversion & net revenues earned by the Gaurang Bamboo Training Center
Bamboo Species suggested:
1.Buyers have accepted Bamboo sticks made from Dendrocalmus Strictus (Shal banh) & Bambusa Tulda (Jati banh).
2.However, D’ Strictus & B. tulda (the mostly available bamboo species in Boboland area ) only be used, since further high value added products are possible for B.tulda
Length & Count of finished bamboo sticks:
1.8 inch long sticks : 3800 to 4000 sticks / kg
2.9 inch long sticks : 3000 to 3150 sticks / kg
3.11 inch long sticks : 2250 to 2650 sticks / kg
Size of bamboos to be used:
1.Girth : over 50 mm
2.Wall thickness : over 6 mm
3.Inter-nodal distance : above 20 cm (or 8 inch)
4.Length : long bamboos / cuts
*Bamboo of any girth & length can be used for sticks as long as the inter-nodal distance is above 8 inch & it is possible to process.
Harvesting & Transporting:
1.Bamboos can be harvested as per the prevailing norms & transported by suitable means i.e. bullock carts / tractor / lorry
2.Slivers will be taken from Center to residences by individual or as a pool
3.Green bamboos can be processed easily. Dry bamboos need to be soaked in water for a day
Cross cutting of bamboo into desired lengths:
1.Bamboos have to be cross-cut to desired lengths i.e. into pipes of 8” / 9” / 10” / 11” etc.,.
2.Hacksaw or a power operated wood working saw, need to be used, as per the quantity of bamboos to be processed.
3.Individuals/ Group can use a hacksaw & a center requires power operated wood working saw
Making of slivers & bundling:
1.From cross cut bamboos, slivers will have to be made, manually, on a heavy duty peeler, using a wooden block, thru pushing cross cuts (bamboo pipes) against the peeler blade.
2.These peeler can be laid on floor or mounted on two logs, aligned like a stand
3.5 kg to7 kg of slivers will be bundled together
Making sticks from slivers:
1.Sliver bundles will be taken from Gaurang Center to residences by SHG’s members, individually or as a pool by suitable means of transport.
2.Sticks will have to be made, manually, by pushing slivers (1,2,3,4 strips at a time, upon experience) against the peeler blade.
3.Peeler (Peeta) will be laid on the floor at an angle.
Solar drying of sticks on a stone / cemented surface :
1.Moisture from the above sticks has to be removed thru solar drying, to avoid fungal attack
2.Also, drying will help to separate the unwanted loose fibres from sticks
3.Bamboo sticks can easily be dried, by spreading on a stone / cemented surface under the sun.
Removal of loose fibres / blisters:
1.Duly dried sticks will be immediately tied together with a waste rubber cycle tube
2.This bundle is manually rubbed on a hard surface (road, cemented surface, stone), till loose fibres gets separated
3.Trapped loose fibres are separated by taking out the rubber tube & tapping with hand
Quality checking & logging of quantities delivered :
Bamboo sticks / bundles will be manually checked against –
1.Count (no. of sticks per kg)
2.Uniformity (equal cross section and length)
3.Presence of sticks with top layer (epidermal layer)
4.Moisture content / stains
5.Fresh glow / luster
6.Production quantities are noted down against the respective Gaurang member
Bundling & Packing :
1.After quality checking, sticks will be bundled with plastic / Jute twine, into 2.5 kg bundles.
2.15 bundles (=30 kg) will be further packed into plastic bags and stocked for dispatching
3.Quantities & delivery schedules depend on costs involved & terms of trade
Records at Gaurang Bamboo Training Center
Details to be maintained at Gaurang Bamboo Training Center (by community entrepreneur or community manager or coordinator) :
1.Details of SHG’s members
2.Quantity of bamboo procured / processed
3.Cross cuts made
4.Quantity of slivers produced
5.Quantity of sticks produced
6.Details of payments made
7.Other incidental expenses
8.Sales realisation
9.Surplus generate
Payments :
1.Payments will be made to S.H.G’s members / contracted workers, for various stages of processing, depending on the effort & net revenues earned
2.Payments can be made once in 7 days or as per the need
3.Separate registers are to be maintained for cross cutting, slivers making, sticks making, Center manager (coordinator / marketing person etc., if any) etc.,
Utilization of waste bamboo cuts & process waste:
1.Waste bamboos can be further converted into sticks (4 mm X 10 mm X 42 mm), for ice cream / kulfi, which fetches around Rs.5,000 /- per ton.
2.Waste bamboos / process waste can be converted into charcoal which can be sold to incense stick rollers / manufacturers.
3.Waste / small / not useful bamboos can be sold to paper mills, nurseries etc., at around Rs.1500/- per ton
Infrastructure & Utilities required:
1.Storage yard for raw bamboos & process waste
2.Electricity for cross cutting machine, lighting etc.
3.Covered area for keeping - cross cutting machine, peelers (on floor / stands), stocking of slivers, sticks bundles etc.
4.Display boards to indicate- production targets / stock position / buyers details etc.,
5.Plastic bags for packing
6.Bold sketch pen (permanent marker )
7.Storing area for ledgers etc.
Plz. Cont: Consultant(Bamboo),
Mobile: +91-9436496101
email:jamatiasamir@yahoo.com
