January 28, 2002

    With an estimated value-added business of about Rs. 30,000 crore per annum, the government has decided to embark on a major national Bamboo-Applications Mission, to fully exploit the country’s vast bamboo resources. An intervention by the government to the tune of Rs. 100 to 120 crore would help generate a business volume of Rs. 1100 to 1200 crore by way of value-added products. India has over 130 bamboo species, some of which are widely exploited by traditional communities on selective basis. We have the unique advantage of having about 25 varieties of bamboo with immense commercial potential for domestic and export market.

    For India, the strategy for promoting value-added applications of bamboo has multiple benefits at many levels of economy. With the use of improved composite technologies, bamboo can substitute plastics, steel and cement in novel applications for architecture, furniture and agricultural tools and implements with an advanced design support. Towards achieving an overall sustainable development, a National Bamboo Mission is being envisaged as a special action plan under the 10^th Five-Year Plan by the government.

    As a prelude to the Bamboo Mission, the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) of the Department of Science and Technology has launched a project for the commercial production of bamboo composite laminates, a new-age material as wood substitute with the promise of large domestic and global market. The project aims at developing a complete range of bamboo laminates for furniture, flooring tiles, boards, door and window frame, to replace the use of timber. The project while inter-linking the bamboo growers with large-scale industrial processing, expertise from academia and user agencies, will also help generate considerable employment opportunities. A bamboo-pole costing Rs. 15 will be converted into products worth Rs. 80, under the project.