Consistently dropped and its use of Gewa during the period 1992-1996 dipped from 141,000 cum. per year to about 63,000 cum. Gewa wood production during the last 4 months of operation at the time of the FRMP Socio-Economic Survey dropped from 1,275 MT in July to just 476 MT in October, 1997. It is feared that KNM has lost its viability as a business enterprise, probably due to ageing equipment and other inefficiencies, and if it folds up, the future is bleak for the more than 2,000 officers, technicians, staff and labourers it employs.
Table 1 Number of personnel employed in KNM (as of October 1997)
Category |
No. Employed |
Officer |
164 |
Staff |
529 |
Worker |
1339 |
School staff |
71 |
TOTAL |
2103 |
Source: FRMP Socio-Economic Survey 1997
Table 2 Last 4 months production of KNM, 1997
Month |
Year |
Quantity |
July |
1997 |
1275 MT |
August |
1997 |
1215 MT |
September |
1997 |
691 MT |
October |
1997 |
476 MT |
Source: General Manager (Production) BCIC
It's financial performance as shown in Table 3 has degenerated through the years its last recorded profit year was 1983-84. From then on, it has been consistently incurring heavy losses.
Table 3 KNM production, production cost, profit and loss
Year |
Quantity (MT) |
Production Cost in Lac Tk |
Profit (loss) in Lac Tk |
1983-1984 |
37765 |
6452.02 |
40.73 |
1984-1985 |
50851 |
7471.72 |
44.59 |
1985-1986 |
55100 |
8754.72 |
(561.60) |
1986-1987 |
50395 |
8468.20 |
(989.41) |
1987-1988 |
49859 |
8806.69 |
(220.23) |
1988-1989 |
47762 |
9090.69 |
(230.49) |
1989-1990 |
50465 |
10127.05 |
(504.95) |
1990-1991 |
50722 |
11077.13 |
(1490.81) |
1991-1992 |
48527 |
12081.02 |
(2871.22) |
1992-1993 |
49101 |
12097.81 |
(1474.56) |
Source: Background and Financial Performance for the Period 1983-84 to 1992-93, BCIC
2. The Khulna Hardboard Mill (KHBM)
The Khulna Hardboard Mill was established by EPIDC in 1964 and went into trial production in July, 1966 and commercial production in October 1966. It is a wood based industry under the administration of BCIC. Before the moratorium on felling natural reserved forests, the Khulna Hardboard Mill obtained raw materials from brushwood of Sundri. During the last 7 years of the moratorium period, KHBN's raw materials were limited to the top dying Sundri salvage gellings and substitute raw materials from elsewhere other than the Sundarbans.
The mill's actual capacity is 21,500,000 SFT and its present capacity is 17,500,000 SFT. The present raw material requirement for Sundri is slightly more than 11,000 cum. per year.
Table 4 Last 3 months production of KHBM (1997)
Month |
Year |
Quantity in Million SFT |
July |
1997 |
0.828 |
August |
1997 |
1.463 |
September |
1997 |
1.361 |
Source: General Manager (Production) BCIC
3. Match Factories
There are two match factories in Khulna dependent on the Sundarbans. The present arrangement for supply of raw material for match production is for KNM to transfer a proportions of its Gewa Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) to the match factories. The 1993/94 Allocation was 8,500 cum. although this has not been fully utilized.
4. Sawmills
There are no less than 500 sawmills and pitsaws operating around the Sundarbans, employing some 5,000 people and churning out some 250,000 cum. of sawntimber per year (Table 5). Before the moratorium, most of these sawmills were engaged in the conversion of Sundri logs. The moratorium and the shortage of Sundri logs has since made them turn to the processing of domestically grown timber and logs from other places.
Table 5 Scale sawmilling and pitsawing enterprises
District |
Thana |
Sawmills |
Employees |
Volume (m3) |
Barisal |
Swarupkati Barisal Bhola Jhalakhati Pirojpur |
60 38 6 8 25 |
360 228 36 40 125 |
151910 1600 144 1810 6060 |
Khulna |
Khulna Sarankhola Chandpai/Mongla Bagergat |
56 3 9 3 |
406 21 55 20 |
36100 1080 3790 1010 |
Dhaka |
Dhaka/Mirpur |
6 |
60 |
2740 |
Patuakhali |
Barhuna Pathargata/Sada |
5 2 |
60 37 |
2740 1050 |
221 |
1400 |
207424 | ||
Pitsaws | ||||
Barisal |
Bhola Swarupkhati |
10 116 |
30 348 |
70 32130 |
Khulna |
Khulna Satkhira Sarankhola Chandpai/Mongla |
53 125 25 1 |
159 375 70 5 |
9600 430 110 |
Patuakhali |
Pathargata Galachipa |
10 10 |
40 30 |
36 290 |
350 |
1057 |
42666 | ||
Source: Masson, 1994
The FRMP Socio-Economic Survey, 1997 conducted a survey of 15 industrial firms mostly small-scale furniture makers, but it also included match factories, KNM and KHBN. Two-thirds of the respondents claimed they were not operating at their rated capacity. All respondents cited lack of raw materials as a major problem and 50% attributed to poor equipment as a reason for operating below rated capacity. For sources of raw materials, 13.3% came from government forests, 60% from home-grown timber and 26.7% directly purchased from the market. The respondents also claimed that 80% of their produce goes to the local market and 20% exported out of the district.
5. Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Service
Currently, there is no outdoor recreational facility existing in the region, like national parks, city park, botanical garden and zoological garden. However, the Sundarbans has been for quite sometime now a favourite ecotourism destination for foreign and local tourists. Every year, during the winter and spring seasons, tourists tour the Sundarbans by boat as a totally new experience of communing with nature and exploring the various offerings of the Sundarbans. Tourists who have gone to the Sundarbans always speak of their memorable and rewarding experiences. Evidently, the Sundarbans is a tourist's delight. In addition to outdoor recreation, the Sundarbans has been for a long time serving as the main subject area of local and international botany and wildlife ecology students, researchers and scientists. Figure 9 shows the route and destination of tourists in the Sundarbans. (Rosario, 1997)
Outdoor facilities for tourists in the Sundarbans include the various guest houses established by the Forest Department over the area, the dormitory of the Bangladesh Port Harbour Authority at Hiron Point, the quarters of the Bangladesh Naval Base also at Hiron Point, the dormitory of the Bangladesh Port Authority at Mongla, and a number of cruiser-boats operated by tour companies. At Khulna city, there are hotels where tourists can rest and prepare before proceeding to the Sundarbans. These facilities are not sufficient and do not generally cater to the needs and tastes of foreign tourists (Moss, 1994). As observed, Sundarbans Forests and Sanctuaries have several unique and interesting attributes for domestic and international ecotourism. They must be harnessed to promote large scale sustainable tourism for the well-being of the country and people of Bangladesh.
The FRMP Forest Inventory estimates the quantity of Goran in the Sundarbans at 693,000 metric tons, with the wildlife sanctuaries holding 249,000 metric tons or 40% and the rest of the Goran production areas holding 444,000 metric tons or 60%. The distribution of Goran by blocks is summarized as follows:
Table 6 Distribution of Goran Resources Based on FRMP Inventory
Block |
Weight of Goran (metric tons) in Compartments with less than 500 kg/ha |
Weight of Goran (metric tons) in Compartments with at least 500 kg/ha |
Total Goran in Block (metric tons) |
1 |
13,434 |
0 |
13,434 |
2 |
4,408 |
57,204 |
61,612 |
3 |
2,206 |
89,552 |
91,758 |
4 |
8,837 |
0 |
2,837 |
5A |
0 |
34,590 |
34,590 |
5B |
1,208 |
43,789 |
44,997 |
6 |
0 |
157,541 |
157,541 |
7 |
0 |
122,723 |
122,723 |
8 |
0 |
163,893 |
163,893 |
SRF |
24,094 |
669,291 |
693,385 |
WS |
2,206 |
246,902 |
249,108 |
SRF-WS |
21,888 |
422,390 |
444,277 |
All the most productive Goran compartments belong to the Satkhira Range and the rest are spread out among the other three ranges. Blocks 3, 7, 8 and 9 together hold 536,000 MT, or more than three-quarters of the entire Goran resources of the Sundarbans. The wildlife sanctuaries, with a fifth of the land area, hold 36% of the entire resources. Some 422,000 metric tons of utilizable Goran are available for harvesting from the Goran production areas which exclude 22 compartments with less than 400 Kg/Ha of stock.
Goran is harvested in so-called Goran coupes. A 20-year cutting cycle is used. Goran permits are issued on a first-come-first served basis. A Goran permit holder assembles a team of about 10 labourers who stay in the forest for a month or more while felling and loading the Goran on the boats. For the period 1991-1996, officially reported Goran harvests are averaging at 56,200 metric tons per year with the last three years averaging 62,400, indicating an increasing trend.
The trend for Singra and other fuelwood has drastically decreased over the last five-years (averaging 12,328 metric tons with the highest recorded in 1991-92 at 28,434 metric tons). The average over the last three years is only 2,746 metric tons. The 1995-96 harvest is less than 1,000 metric tons. Unfortunately, there are no specific results for other fuelwood (except Goran) from FRMP inventory. Testimonies of Goran woodcutters (Bowalis) during a 1997 participatory workshop conducted by the ADB-funded Biodiversity Conservation of the SRF team of consultants, bewailed the rapid dwindling of Singra, a highly prized fuelwood species.
Golpatta resource study was recently completed by FRMP and the results form the first truly comprehensive estimate of this valuable resource.
Golpatta is harvested in seven annual coupes during the months of November to March. The prescribed practice of harvesting is to remove all but two leaves, the young emerging leaf and one supporting leaf. Fruiting Golpatta are not supposed to be distributed, but this is rarely observed by the gatherers (known as Bowali). Golpatta regenerates by coppice and by seeds. It takes about five years for seed-grown Golpatta to become harvestable. Golpatta is a favoured thatching material for light construction, boat use, and weaving. Officially recorded harvests of Golpatta over the period 1991-1996 had been averaging at 67,000 metric tons per year with the last three years averaging 65,500 indicating a more or less constant trend. In Table 7, the FRMP Golpatta studies indicate that there are some 90,000 metric tons of utilizable Golpatta in areas outside the wildlife sanctuaries. The annual level of production is consistent with this figure since it is expected that a considerable quantity is lost to under-measurement and pilferage and some utilizable materials are left untouched in poorly stocked areas.
Table 7 Distribution of Golpatta Resources Based on FRMP Inventory
Block |
Green Weight of Golpatta (metric tons) Wildlife Sanctuaries |
Green Weight of Golpatta (metric tons) Production Areas |
Green Weight of Golpatta (metric tons) All Sundarbans |
1 |
0 |
11,236 |
11,234 |
2 |
0 |
11,414 |
11,414 |
3 |
7,680 |
15,129 |
22,809 |
4 |
0 |
14,169 |
14,169 |
5A |
0 |
4,937 |
4,936 |
5B |
0 |
13,450 |
13,450 |
6 |
8,130 |
16,294 |
24,424 |
7 |
619 |
4,782 |
5,401 |
8 |
6,047 |
0 |
6,047 |
TOTAL |
22,477 |
91,411 |
113,888 |
Appendix E.5.4 provides details of the distribution of Golpatta resources by compartment, block, salinity zone, range, and coupe. As expected, the least productive compartments are those in the saltwater zone with slightly more than 4.0 metric tons per kilometre of rivers. In the rest of the fresh water and mild saltwater zones, the rate ranges from 9.7-12.3 metric tons per kilometre of rivers.
The wildlife sanctuaries hold less than 20% of the utilizable stock. For the rest of the Sundarbans, some 91,000 MT are available for harvesting.
6. Hantal
Hantal (Phoenix paludosa) is a small, straight and slender palm commonly found throughout the Sundarbans. It can attain a height of 5-6 meters and sometimes forms pure and dense stands along riverbanks, or as undergrowth in sparsely wooded areas. It reproduces by seed dispersal and also from root suckers (Karim, 1995). It is commonly used as fence and house posts and as rafters and purlins. In construction, it is a light, relatively strong and durable material (Mitchell 1995b).
The declining trend in reported harvests for Hantal is evident with the last five years averaging 5,500 metric tons and the last three years at only 1,250 metric tons. Unfortunately, there are no immediately available data on the extent and distribution of this resource.
Grasses
There are three main types of grasses in the Sundarbans:
1. Malia grass (Cyperus javanicas) - grow along canals and in the low-lying interior of the Sundarbans. It is used in the manufacture of mats.
2. Nal grass (Eriochloea procera) - grows along river banks and on newly accreted char lands is used for the production of baskets and rice containers (shajees, dhamas and dola).
3. Ulu grass (Imperata cylindrica) - grows throughout the Sundarbans in higher and drier areas. It is used mainly as a thatching material.
These grasses are mainly used by poorer sectors of the population for house construction and as raw material for marketable finished products (mats, baskets, rice containers).
Grass harvests over the last five years are relatively steady, averaging 4,900 metric ton with the last three years averaging 4,700 metric tons. Since these grasses normally have an annual cycle, failure to harvest results in loss of potential revenues. Besides, harvesting of Sungrass will encourage the growth of tender shoots which are suitable forage for wildlife and they are used by the poorer sectors of the local population. Resource estimates of grasses are not available.
Honey and Bee's Wax
Honey and bee's wax are high value products that co-exist with the natural forest cover of the Sundarbans. There is no comprehensive resource information about honey and bee's wax in the Sundarbans. The reported average extraction of honey during the years 1991-1996 stands at 139 metric tons per annum, with the last three years averaging 117 metric tons. For bee's wax, the average extraction rate over the same five year period was 35 metric tons per year, and the last three years averaging 29 metric tons. These figures, in the absence of better resource information, should be taken as an indication of the general decline in available resources.
Honey and bee's wax collection is permitted only two months a year - from the end of March to the end of May, considered to be the peak period of honey production. A permit holder usually assembles a team of 9-10 experienced honey gatherers (Mowalis) who stay inside the forest for the entire duration of the harvest season.
64% fuelwood consumption goes to domestic uses and the rest to industrial use. Fuelwood comes from both agricultural and forestry sources. In the absence of credible estimates of the contribution of each source, it is believed that at least 80% of all fuelwood comes from agricultural sources.
The 1998 national demand and supply of sawlogs, pulpwood, and poles were projected by the Bangladesh Forestry Master Plan (1993) as shown in the tables below:
Table 8 Projected Demand for Roundlogs (1,000 cum.)
Year |
Sawlogs |
Pulpwood |
Poles |
Total |
1988 |
5,148 |
321 |
285 |
5,754 |
2000 |
5,335 |
344 |
291 |
5,970 |
2005 |
5,813 |
403 |
305 |
6,521 |
2010 |
6,323 |
467 |
319 |
7,109 |
Annual Avg. Increase (%) |
1.93 |
3.82 |
0.98 |
1.99 |
Based on linear interpolation of 2000, 2005 and 2010 figures
Table 9 Projected Supply of Roundlogs (1,000 cum.)
Year |
Sawlogs |
Pulpwood |
Poles |
Total |
1988 |
1,364 |
344 |
153 |
1,861 |
2000 |
1,391 |
400 |
151 |
1,942 |
2005 |
1,495 |
487 |
177 |
2,159 |
2010 |
1,686 |
507 |
249 |
2,422 |
Annual Avg. Increase (%) |
2.27 |
3.37 |
6.23 |
2.80 |
Based on linear interpolation of 2000, 2005 and 2010 figures
Despite the higher growth rates of the supply-side versus the demand, the quantitative supply gap in each case (except pulpwood) is huge. For total roundlogs, supply in the year 2010 will still be 45% short of demand.
Against these national projections, the supply contribution of the Sundarbans Reserved Forest in meeting demand may be presented as follows:
Table 10 Contribution of SRF to Wood Supplies (Volumes in cum.)
Year |
Roundlogs |
Fuelwood | ||||
National |
SRF |
SRF % |
National |
SRF |
SRF% | |
1988 |
1,861,000 |
74,400 |
4.00 |
6,494,000 |
10,216 |
0.16 |
2000 |
1,942,000 |
74,400 |
3.83 |
6,629,000 |
10,216 |
0.15 |
2005 |
2,159,000 |
144,000 |
6.67 |
6,983,000 |
17,252 |
0.25 |
2010 |
2,422,000 |
159,600 |
6.54 |
7,616,000 |
17,962 |
0.24 |
Table 11 Estimate of Local Demand for Roundlogs and Fuelwood (Volumes in cum.)
Year |
Roundlogs |
Fuelwood | ||||
Demand* |
Prod'n |
Supply Gap |
Demand* |
Prod'n |
Supply Gap | |
1998 |
122,600 |
74,400 |
48,200 |
192,700 |
10,200 |
182,500 |
2000 |
127,200 |
74,400 |
47,800 |
199,600 |
10,200 |
189,400 |
2005 |
139,000 |
144,000 |
-5,000 |
217,000 |
17,300 |
199,700 |
2010 |
151,500 |
159,600 |
-8,100 |
235,000 |
18,000 |
217,000 |
*Demand estimates based on national per capita demand applied to local population.
Sundarbans share in the production of roundlogs will rise from 4% to 6.5% of national figures as soon as the moratorium is lifted, whence the SRF districts are expected to become self-sufficient and net exporter of roundlogs. However, fuelwood production will not be sufficient to meet local demand.
SRF round log contribution sums up all the Sundri, Gewa, Keora, Passur, Kankra, Baen, Dhundal, and other timber species in the form of annual allowable cuts calculated in Chapter VII. Fuelwood contributions include Goran and crown wood expected from the felling of the above timber species.
Harvest Plan for Goran
In the absence of comprehensive growth information about Goran on a compartment basis, a harvest and growth analysis, similar to that for Gewa and Sundri, cannot be supplied. The plan is to apply a strict area control on compartments that have significant amounts of Goran based on the FRMP Inventory. Low-yielding compartments 1, 2, 13, 15, 21, 22, 23, 25-37, 39, 40, as well as all the wildlife sanctuaries, were excluded from the so-called "Goran Production Areas" or GoPAs, totalling 202,207 hectares.
Using area control, this represents an annual cutting area of 10,110 hectares or 50,552 hectares for each of the four five years in the 20-year harvest plan. These felling areas are then distributed among the four ranges as follows:
Table 12 Area Distribution of Goran Resources
Range Goran Area (ha) |
Annual Coupe | |
Sarankhola Chandpai Khulna Satkhira Winter Fishermen |
50,215 25,589 47,652 78,751 22,503 |
2,511 1,279 2,383 3,938 1,125 |
(Comp 8 & 45)
Individual felling schedules for each range are provided in the following tables. These schedules are planned in such a way that contiguous compartments are scheduled together in one period and that spillover areas from one period to the next period will likewise go together with the next cluster of compartments to be felled. Likewise, the felling history of each compartment was also considered and as much scheduling as possible followed the due date for each compartment. However, in a few cases, some compartments had to be scheduled one period earlier than their due date or postponed one period in order to accommodate the contiguity consideration earlier mentioned.
