Agartala: Tripura, one of the largest bamboo-growing states in the country with 16 varieties, has undertaken a project to package bamboo shoots for sale to star category hotels.
There is good demand for bamboo shoots for making delicious dishes in star hotels in the country and abroad and with proper packaging good money could be earned, Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM) sources said on Thursday.
TBM has taken the initiative to collect bamboo shoots from the fields, package and store them, which could open market opportunities, industries and commerce minister Jitendra Chowdhury said.
He said bamboo farmers operating from a room would provide basic cleaning, cutting, and bulk packaging facility with only an investment of Rs 35,000 towards equipment.
The packed bamboo would be sent to food processing units in other parts of the country through consolidator intervention assuming a margin of Rs 5-6 a kg, Chowdhury said. A bamboo shoot processing unit exists at the state capital and the products are being sold under a brand name with distribution done by the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd.
“So, now we have concentrated in making a formalized collection system to feed the existing unit in Agartala which can store up to 40 tonne. It will help in storage and provide a procurement network at the community level connected to a manufacturer,” Chowdhury said, adding that the system could be improved in phases.
Tripura needs 250 tonne of bamboo shoots every year which would double within the next five years. So, to cope with the growing demand has TBM decided to expand bamboo cultivation to 50,000 hectares of additional land, officials said. More than two lakh people in Tripura are directly involved in bamboo cultivation with the state government launching the bamboo mission to boost production.
Bamboo also provides raw material for making handicrafts and incense sticks. The state government will involve small and marginal farmers to cultivate the 50,000 acre earmarked for bamboo plantations.
“Bamboo cultivation can be as profitable as rubber if pursued vigorously, without any negative effect on ecology. Indigenous peoples’ cultural ties to bamboo have been taken into account in launching the Tripura Bamboo Mission,” Chowdhury said.
For centuries, bamboo has played a vital role in the lives of the indigenous people here. It is their staple food; they use it as construction material, in religious rituals, festivals, wedding ceremonies and even funerals. (PTI)