BAMBOO handicraft items are enjoying good domestic market demand, but due to the low number of workers, production is prioritizing popular items, according to U Kyaw Win, a bamboo handicraft expert.
While the demand for bamboo handicrafts is strong in the domestic market, raw material costs and labour wages are rising, leading workers to be more selective in their work.
“The demand for bamboo items is good. Current basic worker’s wage is over K 10,000. If people could do this work while staying at home, and earn for about K 8,000 to K10,000, then the industry would thrive. But when raw materials are expensive, and the cost of labour and the paints go up, people have to calculate the costs before working. They do it more as a hobby than for income. The domestic market alone has strong demand, and there is a shortage in meeting the necessary supply,” he said.
Due to these challenges, there is a prioritization of producing popular items for the market, such as lamps, decorative items, and household necessities often used in restaurants, hotels, and resorts.
With the recent rise in the cost of raw materials and labour, the price of bamboo items has also increased slightly. He advised that due to current issues like clearing land for farming and incorrect methods of harvesting bamboo shoots, some bamboo scarcity is being faced, and it is necessary to grow private bamboo plantations. — MT/ZN
