Agus Maryono, Purwokerto – Karmin, 40, seems happy as he chops dried bamboo poles which he later sells as firewood. Several of his assistants arrange and bind the chopped bamboo for sale.
His house is now filled with firewood due to the high demand, which according to him has surged up to 400 percent compared to previously. "Demand for firewood has been increasing rapidly over the past month likely due to kerosene scarcity, so many people have turned to firewood," Karmin told The Jakarta Post recently.
Karmin is one of the residents who is experiencing a sudden windfall from selling firewood at a time when hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people are facing difficulty in obtaining their supply of kerosene for cooking. Karmin lives in Dukuh Waluh village, Kembaran district in Banyumas regency, Central Java. Like Karmin, there are not many people selling firewood in Banyumas, probably around two people in each village.
He has been selling firewood for quite a long time now, but according to him, he has never been so occupied with the activity than over the past few days due to soaring demands.
"Business was usual before, even at times there were no buyers. But now my stock is often sold out. Stocks would often last for just two days," said Karmin.
According to him, he could sell 100 bundles of firewood each day now, each for Rp 2,000 (18 US cents). He also sells firewood in cubic amount. "I sell a cubic meter of firewood for Rp 40,000, and can sell up to three cubic meters, or equivalent to 25 bundles, per day," said Karmin.
Karmin, who usually works alone during normal condition, is now assisted by four of his friends in running the firewood business thanks to surging demands. Two of them are tasked to look for firewood in the villages, while the two others help him at home chopping, arranging and binding the firewood. He pays each of them Rp 20,000 daily.
"Bamboo is most sought after by customers because it more flammable and the heat is more intense," said Karmin. He added his assistants usually look for dried bamboo up to the fringes of the village, especially when villager replace their rotten roof frames.
"I will buy any amount offered to me now because they would certainly be sold out in a jiffy," said Karmin. usually buy the whole bamboo roof frames between Rp 50,000 to Rp 60,000, depending on the condition," said Karmin, adding the amount of an entire roof frame is equivalent to 2 cubic meters, or a 100 percent profit.
He also buys timber remnants from sawmills, which he says are easier to find given the number of sawmills in Banyumas. "The price is also not much different from dried bamboo. Each bundle is sold at Rp 2,000," he said.
A resident in Karangsoka, Banyumas, Tarno, 26, said he bought firewood almost every other three days. "What else can I do? Kerosene is scarce, so I have to opt for firewood," said Tarno, adding firewood is more economical compared to kerosene.
"The price of a liter of kerosene is over Rp 5,000. It could last for two days of cooking at most, but two bundles of firewood could last for up to four days," said Tarno. However, he said the price of firewood had increased now from Rp 1,500 a bundle to Rp 2,000.