The Hindu Business Line : Bamboo mission to provide new impetus for growth

THE Government is seriously considering promoting bamboo cultivation with the functional of the National Mission on Bamboo Applications in the last six months.

The Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) is implementing the Mission.

Sources closely associated with the mission perceive that it would provide a new impetus and direction to bamboo sector. The north-eastern region accounts for two-thirds of the growing stock and considerable variety. However most Indian bamboo is said to be sympodial (clump forming), except for Phylostacchus bambuisodes, cultivated by the Apa Tani tribe on the Ziro plateau in Arunachal Pradesh.

Though the resource is available in plenty, the commercial applicability of this fast growing woody grass is still largely untapped. India has a large resource, next only to China, but has been unable to capitalise on it.

Research studies indicate the world market for bamboo at $10 billion (around Rs 44,000 crore). By 2015, the market is expected to touch $20 billion.

The size of the domestic bamboo industry is estimated at over Rs 6,500 crore.

The sector is beset with constraints, which include among others - lack of scientific methods for propagation and cultivation of planting material, lack of post-harvest treatment and technology for product development and poor infrastructure for large-scale harvesting.

However, keeping its potential in view, its present poor market linkage and sub-optimal level technology application for manufacture of value-added products in the industrial and cottage sector, the National Mission on Bamboo Technology and Trade Development was mooted by the Planning Commission to accord bamboo development a strategic role in rural economy, poverty alleviation and bamboo-based handicrafts and industrial development.

One of the partners to the Bamboo Applications Mission told Business Line that the document envisaged coverage of two 2 million ha under bamboo during the Tenth X Plan involving an investment of Rs 2,608 crore.

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