活动名称：木艺木趣国际研讨会暨展览会
时间地点：2011年10月21日，印度班加罗尔J N Tata多功能礼堂
演讲嘉宾：T S Rathore
演讲题目：Status of wood consumption in handicraft industries of Jodhpur

摘要：The desert state of Rajasthan is well known for its woodwork. Furniture making is an integral part of wood work, and found its pride in the havelis and palaces of the medieval period. Rajasthan is the only state, where the latticework on wood is carriedout. Jodhpur and Kishangarh are known for the painted furniture that consists of screens, doors, caskets and chairs. Jodhpur handicraft industry has eclipsed like other industry in recent years. Wooden furniture made in Jodhpur has always been in great demand not only across India, but abroad, too. The furniture export alone accounts for more than Rs 1000 crore (2009-10) in Jodhpur‘s economy. The Jodhpur handicraft Exporter's Association (JHEA) was registered in 1998 to strengthen the network of exporter's to achieve a sustained higher growth in export in handicraft to various global destinations. The export witness a sharp climb from zero to Rs. 1500 crore in two and a half decades employing 3 lakhs persons comprising artisans, craftsperson, skilled/ semi-skilled workers or unskilled labour, most of them belonging to weaker section of the society. JHEA provided list of 226 members of which regular member are 95 and associate member are 131. A representative survey was conducted through questionnaire in which 15 % industries were visited randomly.

The data analysis revealed that commonly used wood by the industry are Mango (Mangifera indica) 94%, Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) 67.6%, Babool (Acacia nilotica) 62%, Teak (Tectona grandis) 15.0%, Jamun, Neem and Eucalyptus 3% each. Only 21% members have their own seasoning, preservation and treatment plants while others are dependent on others. However, 100% new wood is used after seasoning and treatment. Wood is mostly obtained from Gujarat, UP, MP, Punjab, Haryana and Ganganagar in Rajasthan. The end products are exported to Europe (100%), USA (~60%), Australia & New Zealand (~10%), South America, Japan & S. Africa (~8.5%) and Gulf countries. Growing demand for manufactured products and preference for all types of handicrafts resulted in consumption of more wood by the industry and 76.5% are also using recycled wood such as beams, unused household items, windows and doors from old havelies and old railway sleepers, broken ships and rafters. The old wood needs no seasoning and preservative treatments which is environmentally safe. The annual wood consumption of wood industries range is >5000 cft (16%), 5000-1,00,000 cft (74%), < 1,00,000 cft(10%).

Most of the Industry complains about non- availability of quality wood material and trained labor. They also complain about not-availability of any state of art wood testing laboratory, where identification and certification of wood can be done. There is need quality planting material, improvement in plantation forestry and search for alternative wood species. Most of them are willing to raise plantations with support from Research Institute and State Forest Department. Arid Forest Research Institute had done seasoning and treatment work on Prosopis juliflora, P. cineraia and Acacia tortilis, the lesser known timber species, whose results are quite encouraging. The combination of preservative chemicals, Copper Chrome Arsenic (CCA) and chloropyriphos were found effective against insect pest attack on furniture and other articles prepared which showed resistance after six years and have potential for utilization in handicraft industry.

T S Rathore, Arid Forest Reserach institute, New Pali Poad, Jodhpur.