[Stoves] Dung cakes

[Nikhil Desai]

Frank:

This is the first time I have seen such data, and I am not able to locate
the details supposedly at
https://data.gov.in/catalog/variety-wise-daily-market-prices-data-firewood.
I cannot open the XML files.

The website says "The data refers to State-wise, market-wise, variety-wise
prices of Firewood. It has the daily wholesale maximum price, minimum price
and modal price. This dataset is generated through the AGMARKNET Portal (
http://agmarknet.nic.in) which disseminates daily market information of
various commodities."

That is, no mention of charcoal or dung cakes.

Now to your questions;

a. Chips probably refers to wood waste from timber mills and construction,
packaging enterprises. I have heard of different prices in my city for
"firewood" (chopped branches and twigs) and such waste wood (don't remember
the local word). In towns along the highway, I have seen 2-3 varieties of
firewood -- depending on the thickness, perhaps tree type -- for sale
during winter periods (for space heating). I have heard - not confirmed -
that the most common trees are neem and mango. Occasionally another type of
wood is also in the market - acacia.

b. Dung cakes are usually from cattle (cow, buffalo) manure, mixed with dry
grass or grain husks (rice I know of; unsure about other). For the most
part, it is a home-based activity for families who own these animals. Horse
manure might have been used decades ago, but there are no horses around any
more. Nor do I know what commercial (large-scale, 20+ heads) dairies do
with their manure. There are no energy specifications; sellers and buyers
no longer know each other, but there is probably some consistency in size
and mass.

Because dung cakes are used in religious rituals - weddings, cremations -
now there is even an upper-end online trade in such, including deliveries
in US. See (if these links work)

http://www.amazon.in/Haat-Gobar-upla-pieces-Completely/dp/B01LZO9OKZ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1497476941&sr=8-4&keywords=cow+dung+cakes+gobar+upla


and for US

https://www.amazon.com/Authentic-Angus-Cow-Dung-Patties/dp/B01A4UP1RC/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1497477017&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=cow+dung+cakes
.


If someone spreads the rumor in today's India that GACC is seeking to
outlaw dungcakes, I can guarantee there will be a strong reaction from the
new gau-goondas (literally, cow-goons). My Prime Minister believes in LPG
promotion, but is a devotee of cows.

Even if dung cakes in religious uses alone accounted for 10,000 premature
deaths per year.

Nikhil





On Wed, Jun 14, 2017 at 5:05 PM, Frank Shields <franke at cruzio.com> wrote:

>
>
>
> Greetings Stovers,
>
> <snip>
>
>
> Overall rural fuel inflation was 6.8% in 2015-16, which is more than
> two-and-a-half times the figure for urban areas -2.7%.The sharp increase in
> rural cooking fuels was due to soaring prices of dung cake and firewood
> chips. What caused inflation is not known, but it is likely that the supply
> of dung cake is falling due to fewer people making them.
>
>
> <snip>
>
>
> Are firewood chips that made from chipping branches?
>
> And how are dung cakes made? Any quality control? any energy
> specifications?
> How do they burn - flame? smoldering?
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
> Frank
>
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