Guwahati, November 22, 2009: Proper use of bamboo resources with use of modern technology can give a big boost to the economy of the North East as apart from the domestic market, there is tremendous potential for exporting bamboo products, particularly to European countries and United States of America.

Noted economist Dr Jayanta Madhab, who is also the chairman of the advisory body of the National Mission on Bamboo Application has said, The Assam Tribune reported today In the report, Dr Madhab said that at present two bamboo missions are being implemented in the country, of which the National Bamboo Mission is under the Agriculture Ministry and the National Mission on Bamboo Application (NMBA) is under the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India.

He said that the first phase of NMBA, launched during the Tenth Plan period, has ended and an amount of over Rs 300 crore has been earmarked for the second phase.

Dr Madhab pointed out that at present China is dominating the export market of bamboo products, but India with its resources, has the potential to enter the international market in a big way.

As the North East region has the highest resources in the country, proper use of the resources can play a vital role in improving the economy of the region, he pointed out.

However, Dr Madhab lamented that till date, the entrepreneurs are not coming forward in a big way in this regard even as the NMBA is providing interest-free loans to the entrepreneurs of the region and they only have to return the principal amount in five years.

He pointed out that the farmers should be encouraged to grow bamboo and the NMBA has already set up a tissue culture laboratory in the paper mill in Jagiroad, which can play a major role in assisting the farmers.

At present, the bamboo growers are only supplying to the paper mills, which is not very profitable, but if the modern technology is used to make value added products, both the farmers and entrepreneurs will be benefited, he pointed out.

Dr Madhab said that the primary aim of the NMBA is to upgrade the application of bamboo with technical improvement and value addition and bamboo can be a good substitute for wood and is more environment friendly.

He revealed that bamboo tiles are in good demand to replace the wooden ones and the NMBA provided assistance to two factories in Assam, of which, the one in Demow in Sivasagar district is doing very well.

Bamboo tiles not only have a good domestic market but those have tremendous export potential, he added.

The NMBA provided assistance to one factory in Guwahati, which produces bamboo screens and that along with a factory producing bamboo shoots in Dimapur, are also doing quite well.

However, Dr Madhab said that there is need for more and more entrepreneurs to come forward to take advantage of the interest-free loan provided by the NMBA along with technical assistance to make proper use of the bamboo resources available in the region.

The chairman of the advisory body of the NMBA said that bamboo mats are also in great demand, while, bamboo is also being used as a substitute of wood in housing.

The NMBA spent an amount of Rs 84 crore for reconstruction of damaged houses with bamboo in Andaman after the Tsunami , while, a hospital at Pasighat was constructed with bamboo.

A factory in Bangalore is using bamboo to make the interiors of railway wagons, while, a number of entrepreneurs are also coming forward for preparing value added products in other States of the country, but till date, Assam and other parts of North East are yet to make full use of the bamboo resources, he added.

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