The once thriving home furniture business of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has suffered a serious setback in the recent years owing to excessive power loadshedding, lack of modern machinery, depletion of Sheesham wood and shortage of skilled labour.

The sharp decline in the local market as well as abroad caused a loss of $5 million per annum to the national exchequer, sources told Dawn.

According to experts, about 14,000 people are associated with the 400 furniture making units in Nauthia and Tehkal Bala areas of Peshawar. Most of the wood artisans either settled in Kabul or Gulf States for better work prospects, they said.

The number of the skilled artisans has reduced from 800 to just 300 during the past few years in Peshawar.

Despite the fact that Peshawar home furniture and handicrafts are of superior quality due to its innovative style and unique craftsmanship, its market is declining. It has potential buyers in the US, Italy, Spain, Germany and Arab countries.

“The six items home furniture and 120 wood made handicrafts of Peshawar are in great demand in the world. The international buyers have stopped coming to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which caused a sharp decline in wood business,” Sharif Gul, working in a furniture unit in Nauthia, told Dawn.

Depletion of quality wood, power outages and lack of skilled artisans main reasons of the decline

The Common Facilitation, Manufacturing and Training Centre (CFMTC), spread over 20 kanals, founded in Hayatabad; Peshawar by the federal government three years ago at a huge cost is still lying non-operational. Equipped with modern machinery worth Rs120 million, the centre comprises a display centre, wood seasoning units and a wood bank, according to sources.

Yousaf Shah Khalil, the president of Furniture Dealers, Manufacturers and Exporters Association (FDMEA), said that they had approached everyone in that regard to make CFMTC operational on urgent basis but in vain. The costly machines had been rusting for the last three year, he said.

“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa furniture industry is in serious crisis owing to excessive loadshedding and lack of skilled labour. It is a great loss to the national exchequer and also to the local furniture business,” Mr Khalil said. He added that initially they had proposed German machinery for the centre but the authorities concerned purchased Chinese equipment.

“We are ready to run it anyway because we have to meet local as well as international market’s demand,” he said. If CFMTC became operational, it would start imparting training to young people and also improve the declining furniture industry, he added.

“We have also proposed a land acquisition to the government for home furniture and handicraft making industry where an industrial estate for the purpose can be set up. The proposed land spread over 7,200 kanals in Tehkal Bala is presently in the possession of military,” Mr Khalil said.

Fazl Rahim alias Turey (late) was a pioneer craftsman in Tehkal Bala in 70s. He set up one unit for making home furniture and wood handicrafts. Most of the skilled artisans in Peshawar either went to Kabul and Gulf States or laid hands at other professions owing to a slump in the local market. Sheesham (rosewood), the main stuff, was fast depleting, he said.

Haji Said Karim, another artisan, said that one feet of Sheesham cost Rs2,500 to 3,000. “Walnut, oak, mulberry and deodar wood is also used in home furniture, but they are not durable. Mughal, Oriental, Italian and antique styles are famous these days. Most items land inside home. Carving different designs and patterns wood is a specialty of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa artisans,” Mr Karim said.

The sale of home furniture started in August and gained momentum in wedding season till March, he said.

He added that wood made furniture in Swat and Mardan was also very fine but that of Peshawar is matchless in quality and durability.

“Well-designed furniture has to be light in weight, small in size and made of superior quality wood. Due to high inflation, an average family may find it difficult to purchase even simple home furniture,” Ali Sher, a wood furniture dealer, said.

According to local people, a skilled artisan can earn Rs 800 per day. Children from 12 to 15 years are encouraged to learn the skill from their parents and elders only during the long summer break.

“Children don’t work, they just see the work. Later if they want to learn the wood art, they are admitted to the vocational training institutes after passing matric examination,” said Rahat Ali, an artisan.

The local business of home furniture has gone down to 25 per cent while its export has touched the lowest ebb of 10 per cent only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Pak-German wood working centre was established on Kohat Road in the early 70s to impart training in wood technology to young artisans and since then it has produced hundreds of skilled artisans.

Ziauddin, the manager of the project, told Dawn that Pak-German wood working centre being a semi- government institute, affiliated with the provincial Small Industries Development Board (SIDB), was offering three-year diploma and two-year certificate courses.

He said that the institute was imparting training currently to 40 students. “Our graduated artisans most often set up their own furniture businesses in the Gulf countries because they see no opportunity in the local market.

“We also deal in home furniture marketing and handicrafts,” he said.

Awal Khan, whose buyers were mostly foreign diplomats, said that previously he had 40 artisans but now he had only three. “Our family has been in the furniture business for the last 80 years.

My firm has supplied furniture even to White House. I have still orders for quality home furniture from the US diplomats which they had placed in 2012 and 2013. But I have only three skilled artisans. I have international buyers as well but due to decline in the local market, I am unable to supply my products,” he said.

Mr Khan said that access to intentional market, installation of modern machinery, encouraging potential buyers and producing skilled labour could help boost the home furniture industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2014