Trading Pattern of Ntfp and Gum in South Gujarat

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2.1 SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION

Although we used primary data in a major way to conduct our survey, i.e. by interviewing the individual users and traders of gum and NTFPs, but apart from that we also used some secondary sources about the availability and their use. This included contacting the government forest officials to get an idea about the different non-timber forest produce that are available in our domain area.

- HOUSEHOLD SURVEY

We conducted questionnaire surveys in order to collect data on various livelihood aspects. As the area assigned to us was huge, we tried to collect as much data as we could. Details of the generated data are provided in the added annexure.

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We found that although many people were readily participating and giving us the required data, but many seemed sceptical and didn’t reveal much information. This problem was apparent mostly during the survey among the households. On further probing, we found out that it was not clear to many people as to if the forest area is a protected area or not. On the other hand, the forest officials have this knowledge and were able to identify with the protected area and unprotected forest area. Still, the amount of data of Gum procurement was considerably less as compared to the NTFP.

- DATA OF FOREST DEPARTMENT, VANSDA

We met with the forest department of Vansda to get some information about the Non-timber Forest Products and they provided us with some details as to which raw materials are being procured from the forest. We also got to know how they are being used and what their cost in the market is. It gave us a brief insight into medicinal uses of many of the forest produce. So, when we went to the inhabitants in our assigned area, we were more able to relate as to what those people might be using and what not.

2.2 DESIGN OF STUDY

- SAMPLING

The domain of our study was big, and included many neighbouring villages of Lachchakadi. So, we had a bigger sample space. But the problem was that people did not share much information in the first few days of our Survey. So, we decided to go to more neighbouring villages and take roundabout 50 samples to have an idea of the consumption and procurement of forest product in this part of Gujarat. So, we conducted semi-structured interviews throughout the villages to find such people who use these resources and extract such information from them. Our aim was to take samples from each of the villages in the vicinity of Lachchakadi and used STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLING method, treating different villages as different strata. In these villages, we then performed random sampling to select households for our survey.

- SURVEY

Survey through predetermined questionnaire was the methodology adopted by us to carry through this study. We prepared close-ended questions for the respondents to be able to answer more cohesively. Also, as we were aware of the qualitative data that we want to extract out of this study, the survey was prepared to extract the maximum possible quantitative information which is relevant to the eventual qualitative inference. For additional information, we also encouraged the respondents to tell us about those forest products and gum types of which they are aware of and we are not.

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The survey designed for study on Gum was a bit different in which we tried to find out if trading of gum happens in the areas in and around our domain. It also tried to infer the types of gum that are available in Gujarat and if it is being procured from any place other than the local area. For that piece of information, we also found out the market price of various types of gum and the cost at which the shop merchants are procuring it from the gum collectors

3. STATISTICAL OUTCOMES REGARDING NTFP

1. Kantola: Out of 34 respondents, 21 respondents, i.e. 61.76% told that the source of obtaining kantola is forest, while 12 respondents, i.e. 35.29% told that the source is nearby vegetable markets. The fluctuations regarding the collection time and consumption time of kantola from the respondents can be observed from the following line chart:

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We can say in general that the peak time when we could get kantola is from June to October from the chart above. Moreover, only three respondents out of 34 respondents are selling kantola in the market at an average price of 35 Rs/kg. Rest of the respondents are using it for household consumption only. The average buying price from the market is Rs. 86/kg.

Kantola

Respondents with availability

33

Forest as source

21 or 61.76%

Market as source

12 or 35.29%

Respondents selling Kantola

3

Avg. Selling price per kg in Rs

35

Avg. buying price from market per kg in Rs

86

The reason we identified regarding majority of respondents not selling kantola in the market is that there is no awareness among people about the income they can generate by selling it. People are not interested in doing the labour work of going into forest to bring it in abundance and then going into market to sell it. They will sit idle or will think that they can earn more money instead if they use the time in agriculture.

2. Bael: The statistical findings regarding Bael are shown in the below table.

Bael

Respondents with availability

33

Forest as source

29 or 85.29%

Market as source

4 or 11.76%

Respondents selling Bael

0

Avg.