Susan Smith, Staff Reporter
THE WICKER furniture industry is one of the special industries which are still reaping the negative effects of Jamaica's financial sector melt-down a decade ago.
Currently, the industry is struggling for survival says, Arthur H. Williams, executive director of the Integrated Agro-Industrial Training Programme of Jamaica and the Americas and consultant for Wicker and Natural Fibre.
Armed with an assistant professorship in economics from Ramapo College, New Jersey, United States, his personal mandate is to rebuild the industry.
"The local wicker furniture manufacturing industry is close to zero per cent growth," said Mr. Williams, a marketing and economic consultant who joined the industry in 1974. He said this represents a notable decline from the 15 per cent annual growth it experienced in the mid-70s.
Identifying wicker furniture as the type which appeals more to the upscale market, Mr. Williams said the financial collapse of the 1990s curtailed this market's spending pattern on wicker furniture and resulted in a smaller percentage of people buying the product.
"Wicker was booming in the late '70s; people were manufacturing and selling. It was good times economically," said Mr. Williams.
"Today it is dead," he said, noting that only about two other persons manufacture wicker
furniture locally, along with his team.
He said a large part of the
recovery of the industry will depend on advertising and the public and private sectors' willingness to dedicate funds for research and development.
"For persons who don't advertise, the market has been poor."
He said many of the larger furniture stores import wicker furniture or plastic 'wicker' from Asia and spend heavily to market them to local consumers. He believes the furniture market is cornered by Courts, Mainland, Khemlani Mart and other large furniture retailers.
"Our prices couldn't compete with Khemlani Mart's or Courts," he said. "We cannot compete with the advertising. They do over $6 billion worth of business per annum," he added.
He said the industry is poised for growth especially since it is growing between eight and nine per cent at the global level. Furthermore, he believes the local furniture market could absorb an additional $1billion in sales. He said it has the potential to contribute about $4billion to the economy per annum.
"As soon as April comes, we have to make sure we have patio furniture," says Sales Manager of Khemlani Mart, Manor Park, Deepak Mankani, confirming that there is a great demand locally for wicker or wicker like furniture.
SERVICE AND BENEFITS
"Wicker furniture is very long-lasting is environmentally friendly and breathes," he said. He considers it an alternative to deforestation because the wicker which is scientifically called the 'philodendron' grows up and around trees and does not affect their survival.
In terms of economic benefits he said it would offer agro-forestry employment, expand the furniture industry and save valuable foreign exchange since one could always determine the source of raw material.
In addition the ready raw material makes operating the industry less capital intensive.
Mr. Williams recounted that in the mid-1990's, the Integrated Agro-Industrial Training Programme, a non-governmental organisation operating at the St. Mary's Anglican Church, in St. Mary, was conducting research on the cultivation of wicker before the funding was cut. He is trying to have this funding restored.
At present the programme trains over 100 persons in the skill of producing living room suites, sofas, day beds, beds, bed heads, accessories, baskets, lamp shades, mats, wine racks from wicker.
He explained that, Wicker and Natural Fibre, an off shoot of the programme, operates from 1 Richings Avenue, Liguanea St. Andrew and Manor Park, St. Andrew is already exporting to Barbados and Hartsfield in Atlanta.
SHORT TERM GOALS
"We are seeking development money," he said. "We want to start a strong visible retail outlet. We are hoping to develop additional branches including one in Montego Bay."
