Project Reports

In the Indian forestry sector, bamboo, which is referred as minor forest produce in classical forestry, is the most important sub-sector. Bamboo is one of the most abundant and renewable resources available .Bamboo, being a source of raw material to many industries such as pulp and paper, rayon, and fiberboard industry, has been critical in the forest-based industrial development in India. India is the second richest bamboo resource country in the world, next only to China. In terms of genetic diversity, India has 136 bamboo species under 75 genera. About 89 bamboo species out of 126 recorded in India fewer than 16 genera grow naturally in different forest areas or are cultivated. The annual bamboo production in India is estimated at 3.23 million tons. India has 30% of the world’s bamboo resources with largest growing area of 11.36 million ha, but the country tap only one-tenth of its bamboo potential and contributes only 4% share of the global market mainly because of low productivity of around 2 tons/ha/annum.

The state of Madhya Pradesh has the highest bamboo bearing forest area of 2.2 m hectares and the highest bamboo area outside forests of 0.2 m hectares. More than two-thirds bamboo-bearing forest area is located in the four states of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh. Orissa has 9 per cent of the India’s total bamboo forest cover and 7 per cent of total growing stock of bamboo.

Government has planned to diversify its uses to reap the benefits in the $7.5 billion global bamboo product market. India’s current demand for bamboo is estimated at 27 million tons. However, only 50% of that demand can be met because of lack of facilitilites for value addition and transportation.

Cane and bamboo belong to disparate botanical families, have different properties, and are propagated and grown in dissimilar ways.Cane is a palm, normally a climber and solid, while bamboo is a grass, and typically a hollow cylinder. The main by-products of the sugar industry in India were bagasse and molasses. Excess bagasse was now used as raw material in the paper industry. The cane and bamboo products used for domestic purpose are prepared in every nook and corner out of split bamboo and fine flexible cane strips. Unorganized players are the main key drivers in this sector.

Bamboos and cane Potential for different value added products and application makes them an extremely important material for dispersed economic activities. Both have a good future ahead.