Stitching gunny bags a dying profession

Chittoor: The art of stitching gunny bags in certain rural villages in the district is on the verge of disappearance due to lack of support to artisans. In the district, a few families belonging to BCs are still continuing the age-old profession of stitching gunny bags from jute as their livelihood.Artisans have been earning paltry sum by selling used or damaged gunny bags for a support price in the open market after stitching them.

With plastic bags flooding the markets, demand for the gunny bags has come down drastically. Now, plastic bags are being used in packing and transportation of commodities.

A community group led by Dayalan has been stitching gunny bags for the last 15 years. They collect used or damaged gunny bags from public for nominal rates and sell them to farmers after stitching them.

Speaking to The Hans India here on Wednesday, Dayalan said that he divides the total money equally among the group once in a week.

A group member gets Rs 750 on an average per week,” he added. Dayalan expressed anguish over declining demand for gunny bags and extensive use of plastic bags.

He regretted that either successive governments or banks did not recognise their profession and extended financial support to them. He opined that art of stitching gunny bags will disappear soon as there is no patronage for skilled work.

We have asked our children not to enter into the profession,” he added. With a sense of disillusionment, Dayalan said that his generation will be the last one to be in the profession.