Reed industry: struggling for survival

By Ananda KANNANGARA

Weaving mats and bags out of reed is a traditional industry and like in the case of a few other industries, the reed industry is doomed, unless the authorities extend a helping hand. A large number of people are depending on the industry.

Reed is a small, fragile plant, grown in abandoned paddy fields and also in wet lands. However, reed cultivation and the reed industry is being continued in many villages in the country, Induruwa, down south is famous for mats and the bag weaving industry. Reed cultivation is largely done in Kaikawala, Yalegama, Dedduwa and Haburugala down South.

The Sunday Observer last week visited many places in Kaikawala and Haburugala.

Seventy-seven-year-old, Milee Kottahachchi who seemed to be the oldest person in the Kaikalwela village and still engaged in mat weaving said, like many other industries mat weaving has also become a dying industry.

I have three sons, but none of them are involved in mat weaving as they realise that there is no future for them in the reed industry.

I think the Government must look into our grievances and help us to develop the industry. She said about 300 families in her village were involved in mat weaving, but most of them have now given up this traditional industry, saying that there is no proper income for them.

My mother and grandmother were also involved in mat weaving for over eight decades. They sold the products at the village fair and earned a good income. They even bought lands with the profit. She said she earns about Rs. 6000 a month by selling mats to Janakala Kendra in Battaramulla and also to a private businessman who exports them to many countries. About eight families who are weaving mats in our village send ‘their’ products to the Janakala Kendra and they sell them to the Laksala Handicraft Centre in Colombo at higher rates.

She said if the authorities permit them to send their products to Laksala , then they could earn a good profit.

When asked about the quality of mats and bags, she said there were many varieties of reed in the market and mats could be woven from any variety of reed.

She said Gallewa Pan, Wetakai pan, Pothukola pan ,Thunhiriya Pan and Boru Pan are some of the varieties of reed, used to weave mats and bags.

She proudly said that she won several prestigious awards and certificates for her products . Among the awards, she won are three Presidential awards for Handicraft in 1998, 2004 and 2010. Ruhunu Viskam awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2010 . She also won the Southern Province Award for Handicraft in 2001 the four National Handicraft Awards in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2009.

A mother of six, 54- year old I.P Chandralatha said she started the mat weaving and bag manufacturing industry at the age of 12. According to Chandralatha too, she said unlike earlier, this has become a dying industry, as their income was gradually dropping due to lack of business.

She said over 200 families in her village were involved in the bag and mats manufacturing industry several years ago, but now only a few families were now engaging in the industry .She said the Government should support them to sell their products at key places such as the Bandaranaike Air Port and tourist hotels .

A pensioner, 62 -year old Themis Perera said, he worked in the Health Department and started the mat weaving industry nearly 40 years ago .He said in addition to his monthly pension , he earns about Rs. 7000 from his products. He urged authorities to conduct reed product exhibitions at least every three months in Colombo and other major cities including Jaffna to enable people to be involved in the industry to earn a profitable income.

A mother of two, M.R. Piyawathi said the Southern Provincial Councillor Geetha Kumarasinghe had promised to grant a monthly pension of Rs. 3000 to ten industrialists who depend on the reed industry.

But, we are sorry to say that she has not yet fulfilled her promised and now I make a request from Minister Douglas Devananda to fulfil this promise as a majority of people who depend on this industry are very poor and have no proper income. A 56-year old, Sudharma Paranagama who has been in the mat weaving industry for the past 34 years wanted the Government to stop importing plastic strings, as this has become a threat to the industry.

She said over 20 males and females in her district who helped to develop the reed industry now need financial assistance and requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to look into this.

Fifty nine-year-old Gamage Piyasena, said a few of them requested Minister Douglas Devananda to look into their grievances, but they never got the opportunity to meet him personally.

He said he won several awards and certificates for his creations, but they need money to develop their industry.

He also proposed the government to establish a Laksala branch in Beruwela and several other villages on the coastal line, to enable them to sell their products to foreigners . R. Kusumalatha said the Government should help mat weavers and bag manufacturers to construct their houses as the income they generate at present is hardly enough to meet their daily needs .