CHALLENGES FACED TO MAZRI
PALM (Nannorhops ritchieana): A CASE STUDY OF JHANDEY, DISTRICT
MARDAN-PAKISTAN
Abdul Latif, Shaheen Begum,
M. Adnan, Kamran Hussian
and Mohammad Waseem
Ethnobotany
Project, WWF-P,
E-Mail
Address: latifepm78@yahoo.co.uk
ABSTRACT
Mazri is the local name for dwarf palm (Nannorhops ritchieana).
About 65,000 people are involved in processing of Mazri leaves- 78% of them are
women, in
Key
words: Mazri palm, status, market development,
Jhandey (Mardan),
INTRODUCTION
District Mardan is located at distance of 58
km from
Overall
View of the situation
Mazri is the local name for dwarf palm (Nannorhops ritchieana)
(Fig. 1). It is a gregarious, tufted, and shrubby palm, growing naturally in
dry tropical regions of
Mazri palm is mostly found on either side of
Fig. 1. Mazri Palm.
Mazri is found in the wild while in patches, it
is also cultivated. About 65,000 people are involved in processing of Mazri
leaves- 78% of them are women. The women are doing most of the job starting
from harvesting to finished products. Men and women with the help of sickle
harvest the Mazri from the growing areas from October to April. Both fresh and
dried leaves are used for products making.
One leaf yields about 30 to 40 pieces and 5 kg of leaves produces about
4 kg of products with waste of 20% (Iqbal, 1991). Average annual production of
raw Mazri leaves in the country is 37,315 tones. It has been estimated that an
average worker can process more than 0.5 tones of raw Mazri leaves per year
(Iqbal, 1991). Baluchistan is the biggest producer of the Mazri in Pakistan
with average annual production 27,265 tonnes. Mazri leaves are distributed in
various parts of the country through railways and trucks i. e. to Billitong
(Kohat), Kalpani (Mardan), Charsadda and Kot Addu (Punjab). About 3,400 tonnes of Mazri was produced in
1999-00(Agriculture Statistic of Pakistan, 99).
Average sale price of Mazri leaves in the
Kohat district was Rs. 100 per 40 kg (Abbas, 2002). But in other areas like
Kalpani (Mardan) its price was Rs. 210-220 per 40 kg. There were total exports
of 126 millions rupees in 1991 from various products prepared by the rural
people (Iqbal, 1991).
METHODOLOGY
To
collect primary and secondary data, two types of techniques were adopted. One
was literature review and the other was questionnaire survey. For literature
review various related literature was cited like journals, books and forestry
working plans etc. The source of these literatures was Pakistan Forest
Institute, Peshawar, Central Library University of Peshawar, Directorate of
Research and Development NWFP Forest Department, Peshawar etc. For survey, mixed questionnaire was designed
comprising both structured and unstructured questions. Community and individual
meetings were conducted for data collection. Interviews of the concerned
departments were also taken in consideration for having a thorough look at the
situation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
People and living status
The
main trading and production places in District Mardan are Jhandey and Paar
Hooti. 90% of the people of the area are dependent on Mazri products business.
Agriculture is second main profession of the local people. Total population of
Jhandey is 21,500. Average family size is 8. Most of the people are living in
muddy houses, with improper facilities of water supply and sanitation. Joint
family system is predominant in the area. The people are very religious minded,
influenced by “Tablighi Markaz” located nearby the town. Literacy rate in the
area is less than 30%. Most of the people belong to Utman Khail Tribe, migrated
90 years ago from
People involved in Mazri
Products
More
than 300 households are directly related with the profession. While the
remaining proportion is in one way or the other involved with the profession as
second livelihood source. The products are also produced in few patches in
Shergar and Lundkhowar. Among all these Jhandey is of utmost importance.
Economic condition and level
of income from the Mazri Business
The
economic condition of the people is lowering day by day. Average monthly income
of the people is Rs. 1300-1600. The economic condition of the people, related
with Mazri profession as second alternatives for livelihood, is better than
others. Their average monthly income ranging from Rs.
3000-5000. Level of income from Mazri is decreasing day by day. The
number of dependent person per income is 6 to 8.
Imported Raw Material Use
Mainly
there are two types of raw materials used for making products. These are Mazri
and kana (Saccharum munja). Most of the raw material is
imported from Shahrag, Lorali, Khulu, Dosai in Baluchistan, Kohat, Hangu,
Sadda, DI Khan, Paniala in NWFP, D.G.Khan, Saria Alamgir, Gujrat, Qasur, Kot
Addu, Abdul Khalid, in Punjab and Khusat in Afgaunistan.
Seventy
percent of the products are prepared at local level while 30% of products are imported. Estimated quantity of raw material imported
from different areas in different months is given in the Table 1.
Table 1. Raw material imported to the Jhandey
Ser. No |
Months |
Amounts
(kg) |
|
1 |
February |
4,500 |
|
2 |
March |
4,600 |
|
3 |
August |
3,500 |
|
|
Total |
12,600 |
More than 35-40% of the raw material is
wasted during the processing for finished product. Main cause for excessive
loss is improper storage facilities of leaves, unsustainable extraction at
source and processing technologies etc. Number of shops in the area are 37.
Price of the raw material (leaves) used in product preparation is Rs. 200-220
per 50 kg.
Types of Products prepared
Various
products are prepared by the local people, which are attractive to the domestic
and international tourists (Fig. 2). The professionals own 100% of the shops.
The number of people working per shop is 2-3. Most of the shopkeepers are maker
and sellers. The number of products prepared per shop is 10-14. The names of
these products are:
- Caps
- Mats
- Ropes
- Banns (used for making
bed)
- Decoration products
- Baskets
- Cordage
- Cupboards
- Brooms
- Trays
- Hand fans
- Grain bins etc.
The daily sale of these shops ranging from Rs. 50-200 per day
(70%) and 100-600 per day (30% shops).
Fig. 2. Some products
made from mazri palm.
Main buyer of the products
Based on the data collected during the
survey, main buyers of the products are local people as most of the products
are used for domestic purposes. Since the area is situated on the main road to
Swat- the famous tourist spot in Pakistan that’s why these fascinating products
attract both the domestic and international tourists. Summer season is always
good for business- according to one of the respondent. For further details, see
Diagram I.
Diagram I.
Average level of profit per product from the
local people is 20-30% while from tourists it is 50-60%.
Change in trends and Practices
Various
challenges are faced to the business of Mazri products. Based upon the data
collected from respondents, there is 70% decrease in the business. Ten years
ago, the trend in business was good but due to certain discrepancies the level
of profit as well as sale has been decreased. It was good due invasion of
domestic and international tourists who if buy one product per day then that was
good for whole day.
There is ban by forest department on Mazri
known as “Mazri Control Act 1953” and other taxes. It affected the whole trade
and production of different products prepared by the communities.
Simultaneously excessive damage by unsustainable harvest also affected the
supply base, which is gradually shrinking and incomes of families is
decreasing. Rehabilitation of Mazri forests is essential in order to maintain
the supply base. Farmers are practicing Mazri cultivation to obtain maximum possible
money return in Paniala (DI Khan). The synthetically made fiber and various
products affected the community’s income related with Mazri. Decrease in
tourists (both domestic and international) invasion also affected the trade and
marketing of Mazri products. Product preparation is really tedious job,
involving too much fatigue and hard work but resulting in lesser economic
benefits. This situation created lack of interest of coming generation for this
profession.
Constraints to Mazri Products
Following
are the main constraints faced to the Mazri products:
- Unsustainable
processing and production of raw material during product preparation
- Dust on the products,
makes the products old and unattractive, as the shops are located along
the roadside
- Loss of interest of
people due to lesser economic benefits
- Lack of availability
of investments for the raw material as product selling is less
- Higher rates of raw
material compared to prices of the products
- Increase in number of
related people to this profession
- Lack of advertisement
for the products prepared
- Lack of government and
non-government agency’s efforts for promotion of this profession
- Lack of concentration
for exhibition of the product prepared
- Improper marketing of
the products
- Decrease number of
tourists to the northern areas
- Substitution of Mazri
products by polythene products
Up-till now none of the agency/department
has taken any initiative for the promotion and conservation of the plant except
few small project concentrated in specific areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Following are the few recommendations for sustainable production and marketing of Mazri products:
1-
Intervention of various
government and non-government departments/agencies is necessary for sustainable
income and conservation of Mazri palm
2-
Proper advertisement and
exhibition for the promotion of products as well as local people should be
intercede
3-
There is need to promote
the products both at national and international level, which will ultimately
increase the income of the people and conservation of Mazri palm
4-
Small enterprise at
household level should be established
5-
Training on sustainable
production should be imparted to the local people for improved quality of
produce
REFERENCE
Abbas, Q. 2002.
Ethnobotanical Studies of Kurram Agency through Rural
Community Participation. Ethnobotany Project, WWF-Pakistan,
Ali, S.I and M. Qaiser, 1986. A Phytogeographical analysis of the phanerogame of
Agriculture Statistics of
Champion, H. G., K. Seth and G. M. Khattak. 1965. Forest types of
Iqbal, M.
1991. Non-timber forest products: their income-generation potential for rural
women in
Latif, A.L.,
2003. A Review on