We purchase 450 to 500 bamboos fit in a truckload from the hill people. Then we load around 65 Bamboos in our bullock cart. It is a retail business. The truckload of Bamboo cost around Rs 50 thousand. If calculated a bamboo costs Rs 100, we charge some money for the transport and the time we spent also for the efforts and make it to Rs 125, sometimes Rs 130 or Rs 135 at the time of selling.
It is a profitable job. By selling Bamboo I can manage a family of five says Tarpon who is 74 Years old. Tarpon has been running the Bamboo business since he was 15 years old. Nowadays he uses to make less profit but definitely sells a bullock cart of Bamboo for a day. He went back home with at least Rs 1800 profit a day. Summing up to Rs 54 thousand a month if he sells a bullock cart of Bamboo per day.
The types of Bamboo that they sell are Nonga, Unan etc. Torpon also expresses that there is scarcity of Bamboo than earlier times. He is a resident of Sagoltongba. He uses to procure Bamboo from Keithelmanbi side.
As such there are Bamboo bullock carts lined up along Moirang leirak till Wahengleikai parking early morning when the traffic is less and the demand is increasing for many construction works taking place in Imphal area where there is minimum Bamboo or no Bamboo grown now.
SOME BAMBOO VENDORS ALONG MOIRANG LEIRAK
Ibungcha and Inaoba from Lamsang.
Ibungcha and Inaoba are aged 26. They are new to the business. They grow and harvest Bamboo. They also purchase Bamboo from their locality at Lamshang. Unan Longna are the types of bamboo they dealt with. They have done several trips so far but could not report frequently as they grow Bamboo themselves or procure Bamboo from the locality. Ibungcha own the bullock cart and Inaoba grows Bamboo. They venture out to earn some money for their pocket money and to contribute to their family.
Sinda, Phayeng are the places they often visit to get Bamboo to sell in the market. They bought the Bamboo at Rs 100 or Rs 110 and sold them at Rs 130 or Rs140 per piece. They went as far as Koirengei, Bhamon Leikai, Uripok to deliver bamboos.
They are loaded with 60 pieces of bamboo and when they sell it out they have to spend two days to collect another 60 pieces of Bamboo and came here at Moirang Leirak loaded with fresh Bamboos to sell again.
They use to stay till 7 or 8 am along with their bullock cart at the side of the road. At times when there is no one to buy they use to stock their Bamboo at Naoremthong as it would be very tiresome for the Bullocks to carry them back again. Moreover they will take a long time to reach their home with the load. There has been no report of missing Bamboos so far from the place where they use to keep Bamboo. They also try to help the people who allow them to keep their Bamboo at a no sale day.
Herojit from Heibungpokpi
“A pair of Cow cost Rs. 90 Thousand unlike the olden days. In order to carry on my business I have to own a bullock cart. I have to take loan to start my business “, informed Herojit.
Herojit use to earn a profit of more than Rs 20 thousand a month from the Bamboo Business. He is almost seven years into the Business. We use to stock a truckload of Bamboo at his home and sell them in the market. His trip frequency is twenty times a month. The least profit he use to make in a month is Rs 10 thousand depending on his selling capacity.
He informed that he use to stand his Bamboo packed bullock cart at Waheng Leikai but due to traffic problem they were asked to station along Thangapat but was asked to move out and presently they do their business along the roadside of Moirang Leirak. Herojit appeals the concern authority to provide some space so that they could carry on their business comfortably.
He wakes up in the midnight and get ready to set out in his bullock cart at around 3 am to reach Moirang Leirak to carry on his business.
He sells Unan, Nongan, Utang, Maribob, watangkhoi, Saneibi etc. Presently he use to buy Bamboo from Chiru Khullen a hilly area near NHPC under Bishenpur District. Saneibi bamboo cost him Rs 70 thousand a truck load and Unan, Utang cost him Rs 50 thousand a truck load.
Herojit held from Heibungpokpi, Sinda UK Road Imphal West.He is 33 years old.
We buy and sell off. I bought a truck load. Saneibi 70 thousand and rest 50, 55 depends on the number of bamboo too. We come with 50 pieces of bamboo from the stock. I make 20 trips a month. I make a profit of atleast 8 thousand and mostly I make Rs ten thousand a month. It depends on our luck. We sell only a bullock cart not two carts a day because it is bullock cart and we wake up in the midnight and set out from at around 3 am to reach here.
We were selling at waheng leikai but traffic problem, then we shall at thangapat now it is moirnag leirak area. We went as far as koirengei, canchipur Khongman. I do not see bamboo sold in bullock cart in other district. They stock at the roadside and sell.
Nowadays bamboo comes from the hills. Unan, Nongan utang, maribob, watangkhoi, , wangooh, almost seven year into business. I take loan and started business. Bullocks are costly a pair cost around Rs
55 year Old Nimai
“ There are no Bamboos to chop down in the plain area we have to procure them from the hills. At one time ‘Saneibi Waa’ cost only Rs 50 it slowly rise up to Rs 60, Rs 70 and now it cost us Rs 120 or Rs130 or even Rs 140 sometimes . We sold them at Rs 170, Rs 180 or Rs 190 a piece depending on the quality of the Bamboo after transportation and labor charge is added.
A truckload of Bamboo is easily sold in a month. I can earn a profit of Rs 20 thousand a month comfortably. It is a hard job too as we have to bear the rain or sit in the Sun waiting on a roadside for our customers. Sometimes I left my Bamboos on the road side at Moirang Leirak along with my cart and went home with my cow to return back the next day without losing a single piece of Bamboo as nobody stole my Bamboo”, narrated Nimai sitting on his Bamboo at Moirang Leirak .
He also does his business at home where his customers come to buy Bamboo according to their need. He has been carrying his business consistently since the last two years. He held from Heibungpokpi.
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they destroy nature n loot us by selling high price n don’t planted bamboo this is fuck life.
So, did they plant bamboo after they rooted out and cut them? That’s not supposed to be an appreciable business. That’s exploitation of nature. Bamboo is procured from the hill!!! If you plant bamboos then it’s okay otherwise, I would like to say that you don’t have any such right to destroy our mother nature.
Hairiaba mamal do taman khre,imphal yourak pada aekhoina waheng laekai dagi sannaebi waa amada mamal kaya ching ngi phajana miyam khang naba haibiyu, aduga yolliba waa pumnamak mabuk waida kakpa waana 98 percent ngaktani makhong dagi houraga phut 7/8 di yaodaba ngaktani,lalagasu lalli adum haibirak ua, waa gi matang da haininng ba yam lae ado yam sangna eabasi mina pabide aduna matang asida ten sinjarage
This is so true.Bamboos (especially moubiwa)in cachar district and some other districts of assam are available at a price comparatively lower than that in Imphal .However, it is reported that most of the bamboos are exported mainly from the hilly areas of Manipur via Barak and its tributaries. The climatic conditions and soil are favourable to the luxariant growth of bamboos and other vegetations.If these products are exploited judiciously, then there will be huge economic growth and paves the way for a self sustaining ecocomy in the future.So, drafting of effective policies and programs is the need of the hour to achieve far reaching goals.
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