Mitra Usaha - Birdcage Craft


Birdcage is similar to frame. A painting will be looked artistic and classic if it is supported by fine frame. It works on a bird, too. A bird will be looked fine if it is placed on good cage. More over, if the birds are derkuku, perkutut, poksay, cucak rowo and other classic birds.

To satisfy bird devotees, Parjiyo (40) started to make birdcages in 1989. He just produces 3 types of birdcage. Those are birdcage for perkutut, derkuku and piyikan (young bird). He makes only the three types, because his capital is small. Besides the three types are very sellable. It has made him so busy to serve many orders. To simplify his customers to look for his birdcages, he names his company “Mitra Usaha”. It is address at Bothokan, Argosari, Sedayu, Bantul. Mobile: 0816671400, 08174120766.

Mitra Usaha company uses bamboo of apus, wood of sengon laut, tampar agel (rope made of algae) and rattan for its material. Formerly, the father of two children made only simple birdcages. But, he finally made his products become more artistic by adding accessories, such as crown, birdcage foot, hanger and thangkringan (Javanese: stalk used by bird to perch) after he had bird collector and merchant friends. According to this senior Technique School graduation person, birdcage required market has always changed. It is distinctly seen after birdcage contest. There must be trend birdcage at that time, usually on its finishing. On birdcage part, there is a painting, which becomes trend symbol. It is Dragon, Arwana, Phoenix and Jatayu painting, which are smoothly painted by airbrush.

Parjiyo usually markets his products at unready birdcage level. It means, it is not painted, yet. But he also serves finishing birdcage order. His beginning market is at Ngasem bird market. He has marketed his products to Jakarta, Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta now. There has been an agent that sent his products to Thailand since 1998. Helped by 6 workers, Mitra Usaha company can sell 40 ready to sell birdcages in unready level every month. If a product cost Rp 350.000,-, it means his monthly income is Rp 14.000.000,- “But, craft always depends on orders, so we can not predict our monthly income,” Parjiyo, who is always helped by his wife, Rohana, says.