Abstract

Rattan processing is one of the important traditional forest based industries in Kerala. Shortage of raw material is the major problem of this industry. Rattan is collected from natural forests and no attempt has so far been made to raise it commercially in the State. Probably, this may be due to the fact that, people including the Forest Department officials do not know various aspects of cultivation of this species and its profitability. The paper examines both the aspects and observes that the rattan plantation is profitable