Need to address supply-demand gap in bamboo sector: Govt

Expressing concern over widening supply-demand gap in bamboo sector, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today emphasised the need to formulate appropriate policies for expeditious development in the space.
Singh also called experts to come out with solutions to address the existing gaps in technology. He also asked them to provide technological facilities to bamboo artisans.
India's 13 per cent forest area is comprised of bamboo. The domestic bamboo trade was Rs 26,000 crore by end of 2015 while it was USD 20 billion in the global market, he added.
Addressing a three-day World Bamboo Conference here, Singh said, "There has been a decrease in bamboo and bamboo forest areas. There is a meagre productivity of bamboo in India. Consequent upon there is tremendous gap in demand and supply."

According to Niti Aayog estimates, the domestic production of bamboo is sufficient to meet only half of India's demand, he said in a statement.
Stating that there is a tremendous demand of bamboo in domestic and global market, Singh said, "Therefore, there is an immediate requirement to increase production of quality bamboo to meet the enhancing demand in other section of the society apart from elevating bamboo-related traditional industry as well as bamboo enterprises."

There is an urgent requirement to make an expeditious development of bamboo sector in India which is impossible without formulating appropriate strategies, he said.
Highlighting action plans, Singh said the government is looking at possibilities of promoting industrial production of bamboo and also pondering generating electricity through direct utilisation of bio-fuel and bio-mass gasification so as to produce charcoal or compressed bamboo biomass pallets.

The Minister said the plants have been set up for rayon /cellulose fibers for the production and exports of more quality bamboo fabrics like bath robs, baby wears, T- shirts, jackets, as well as suits.
However, without naming any state, Singh said there are
eight states in the country, which are not utilising the funds allocated under the Bamboo Mission and insisted that they should utilise the financial assistance given for the purpose.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the state government intends to raise the income of people by encouraging bamboo cultivation and for the purpose the government will accord agriculture status to it.

The function was also addressed by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Dr Gaurishankar Shejwar.
Delegates from China, Vietnam, Bhutan, Germany, Sir Lanka, England, Thailand, Nepal, Afghanistan and Philippines are also taking part in the three-day long conference.