If you are under the impression that Tiptur is famous only for its coconuts, then you’re absolutely mistaken. For, the brooms of Tiptur are even more famous. It is indeed a pleasant surprise to learn that the brooms made in Tiptur are in great demand in the northern parts of our country for over 40 years now.
In fact, Tiptur is home to many thriving industries that cash in on its high yield of coconuts. In fact, business involving copra and coconut fibre amounts to crores, providing employment opportunities to a number of locals.
Every year, on an average, about 10,000 tons of Tiptur brooms make their way to North India. Agents who collect brooms from places around Tiptur comprising K B Cross, Chikkanayakanahalli, Hosadurga, Arasikere, Panchanahalli, Nittoor, Cheloor, Sira, Hosakere, Taroor, Huliyoor and others make a very good profit and the volume of their trade is not less than 20 tons per month.
Buying brooms from their makers at Rs 7 - 7.50 per kilo, they sell it for Rs 8 per kilo, making a cool profit of Rs 8,000 per quintal. In effect, their business amounts to almost 8 crore a year!
Given a serious thought, broom making is far more profitable than the business involving coconut fibre. The employment opportunities broom making has generated is also phenomenal. This labour-intensive industry has thousands of people involved in it at every stage of its making. The brooms thus made are then transported in trucks to places as distant as Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
It is heartening to note that even though Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Tamilnadu’s Kaveripatnam are also into broom making, Tiptur bags the lion’s share of the business.
The demand for brooms has grown over the years and so has the price. A kilo of brooms that cost Rs 3.50 ten years ago increased to Rs 5 in 2005. At present, it is Rs 7.
The multi-utilitarian aspect of these brooms has added to their popularity in the North. Not only are they used for general cleaning, but also in the fields to clean the grains.
So, just imagine what would happen to the streets and fields of North India if Tiptur decides to stop making brooms.
Translated by CD
