By Nelson Manneh
As the strive for economic activities continues to narrow down locally in the Gambia locally, carpenters continue to face challenges in an environment dominated by imported furniture, mainly from Europe and China.
Carpenters moaned over the challenges they are encountering in their business, urging the government to put a temporary ban on the importation of furniture, which, according to them, would provide them with the space to do their business.
“In the past, carpentry was a lucrative business, but now the tables have turned upside down. Our brothers and sisters in Europe and other parts of the world make the business so rigid and unbearable,” one Pa Ousman Njie told this reporter.
Importing furniture hinders local carpentry businesses in several ways. Imported furniture is often cheaper, making it difficult for local businesses to compete on price. This led to a decline in demand for locally made furniture, potentially causing job losses and impacting the local economy. Imported furniture is perceived as higher quality or more fashionable, further discouraging customers from buying locally.
Imported furniture, particularly from countries with lower labour costs and production efficiencies, is significantly cheaper than locally produced items. This price difference makes it challenging for local carpenters to compete, potentially forcing them to lower their prices and reduce profit margins, or even close their businesses.
While some imported furniture is lower in quality, many customers believe that foreign-made products are superior, especially luxury items. This perception can lead to a preference for imported furniture, even if it’s more expensive, further impacting local businesses.
“As demand for locally made furniture declines, we experience a reduction in orders and potential job losses. This negatively impacts the local economy, as income generated by these businesses is reduced and resources are diverted to other industries,” Njie stated.
The decline in local carpentry businesses could lead to a loss of traditional skills and craftsmanship, as fewer people are trained in these trades. This could be detrimental to the preservation of cultural heritage and the development of unique, locally-inspired furniture designs.
As local businesses struggle, consumers may become more reliant on imported furniture, further reinforcing the cycle of dependence on foreign manufacturers. This can lead to a loss of local economic control and the potential for instability in supply chains.
Pa Ousman Njie, who owns a carpentry workshop in Bundung, said the import of furniture from Europe has been growing for years, influencing markets worldwide.
“The low price, wide selection, and increasingly better quality make many importers choose products from European factories over local alternatives. This change brings both benefits and challenges to the furniture industry and the labour market in importing countries.”
Most of the furniture that comes from outside the country is often cheaper than locally produced products, making it difficult for local manufacturers to compete. Many producers are forced to reduce costs or change their strategies.
Some companies abandon mass production and focus on premium products, unique designs, and eco-friendly materials. Others introduce modern technologies to increase efficiency and automate processes.
Smaller carpentry workshops in the Gambia that cannot afford to invest in development often lose market share or close down. On the other hand, some workshops take advantage of imported furniture by bringing in components instead of finished products and assembling the furniture locally. The decline in domestic production leads to a reduction in jobs in traditional carpentry workshops and furniture factories. Employment is shifting to sectors related to import logistics, among others.
Mr Lamin Fadera, another carpenter who has been in the trade for the past thirty years, said he joined the trade and struggled until the time he got his workshop.
“My business is not formally registered, but I used to get contracts from both the government and private schools, as I make school furniture for them, but now the narration has changed; most of the proprietors and proprietresses prefer to buy imported furniture over locally made ones,” he said.
He said ten years ago he used to have more than ten apprentices, but now I have only three because the business is not as usual. “We may not have the power to stop those importing these goods because they are also in business, but the government should come up with a mechanism to address it.”
Sheikh Omar Cham, another carpenter, said that with the trend he is seeing, locally made furniture will die because the imported furniture is dominating the market.
“This business is gradually dying because the environment and demand are not there; Gambians are now in for imported furniture. There are instances where we make beds, and it will take us more than three months to sell one. This is not encouraging at all,” he said.
This reporter visited more than eight carpentry workshops, with many echoing similar sentiments. These workshop owners want the government to ban the importation of furniture, especially that which can be locally made here, to create a market space for them.
