Incense Stick Industry Moving Towards Self Reliance : Hardik Brahmbhatt
Jyoti Products is a renowned name in the incense industry for fulfilling the raw material needs. It supplies the industry with Bamboo sticks, Joss and wood powder along with machinery and spare parts. Hardik Brahmbhatt, the head of the firm in conversation with Sugandh India shares how the industry is gradually becoming self reliant when it comes to incense stick raw materials. Hardik, who himself is an importer of raw materials, tells how after the ban on import of raw incense sticks by the government paved the way for locally producing the raw materials. A substitute or production of fit for use bamboo and joss powder is still a challenge but only for the coming 5-6 years.
Jyoti Products has been in the incense industry since 1965. In his own words Hardik Brahmbhatt shares, “ earlier my grandfather used to deal in perfumed incense sticks, my father however focused more on real estate.” He added, “I joined the business after my graduation and it was in 2009 that I started with importing raw incense sticks and raw materials. It was 31st August, 2019, the government of India decided to ban the import of raw incense sticks. Prior to the ban, the industry heavily relied on imported raw incense sticks as it was a much cheaper process instead of producing and growing everything locally. Associations of the incense industry and representatives had always been raising this issue.”
Adding further he said, “in 2011, the consumption of incense stick in India was 1200 tonnes per day with around 1 percent import and in 2019 the consumption went up to 1400 tonnes per day with 80-90 percent import. This made the government ban the import of raw incense stick which led to a sudden shortage of raw material in the country but eventually the domestic production increased.” Jyoti Products too worked in this direction and as a result raw materials on a large scale a readily available in India along with increased employment opportunities.
On shortage of Bamboo, Mr. Brahmbhatt informed that Shri. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport (Govt. of India) has taken major steps in the mass plantation of bamboo. “In five to six years, the problem of shortage will be resolved.” Bamboo supply comes from the northeast and the supply is limited. Moreover, the Government amended its laws by putting bamboo under the category of grass (earlier it was wood).
Discussing bamboo per se agarbatti manufacturing Mr. Brahmbhatt said “, Bamboo from Vietnam and China fit better in incense making scenario. Ours are rich in fibre that does not work well on machines for agarbatti making.” He further informed that— Government did not ban the import of; bamboo sticks, joss and wood powder. Joss or ‘Jigat’ , was locally procured but is facing a shortage. It is a powder made from the bark of Indian Laurel (Litsea Glutinosa) [मैदे का पेड़]. This medicinal plant has been over-exploited and is near extinction which is why there is a ban now on it extraction. Joss powder also doesn’t have a substitute as of yet.
