Geographical variations in woodfuel supply and trade in northeastern Bangladesh

Abstract

Woodfuel is the primary source of cooking energy for residential and commercial sectors in Bangladesh. Woodfuel is obtained from forest and non-forest sources, traded informally or in the marketplace, and provide employment and income within the supply chain. However, the woodfuel trade is a complex and dynamic system influenced by various factors. Hence, this study assessed woodfuel sources and factors affecting production, supply, and trade in markets. We surveyed 206 woodfuel vendors in 112 markets located within 30-km of Khadimnagar National Park and Lawachara National Park in northeastern Bangladesh in terms of market attributes (degree of urbanization and population density), environmental factors (tree coverage and seasonality), and woodfuel sources (forests and non-forests) utilized by these vendors. On an average, 101 rural market vendors sold higher quantities of woodfuel than 94 semi-urban market vendors. The 126 sawmills in the two subregions had significantly greater woodfuel sales than woodfuel wholesalers and mixed wholesale vendors. There was a significant seasonal fluctuation in woodfuel sales, with lower sales during the wetter monsoon months (July–October) than those during winter (November–February) or summer (March–June). The findings showed a positive correlation between the annual woodfuel sold in each market and market attributes, such as the surrounding population density. Non-forest sources, such as homestead forests, roadside plantations, tea estates, and sawmills, supplied 73 % of the total woodfuel sold. There were significant variations in both the woodfuel selling price and vendor net income in the two subregions. These findings highlight the need for policy initiatives to facilitate non-forest resource management and achieve sustainable development goals in Bangladesh's forest and energy sectors.