Bamboo Cultivation in India: Cultivation Requirements, Bamboo Growing Methods & Profit Per Acre.
Bamboo plant is a plant that can grow in any type of soil, whether it is slightly acidic, well-drained sandy-loam soil or clay-loam soil with 4.5-6.0 pH, bamboo grows easily in that place. Bamboo is a very important plant for humans, which they use to build houses and eat in their food. Bamboo has the potential to become a major contributor to India’s economy. You will be surprised to know that India is the second largest bamboo producing country in the world after China. Bamboo has an important contribution in environmental balance, you will be surprised to know that bamboo can also absorb up to 400 tonnes of carbon per hectare. Bamboo plant has many such important properties, whose cultivation helps in balancing the environment and increasing the capital of farmers. So let us know in detail about Bamboo Cultivation in India in this blog.
Table of Contents
Important Varieties of Bamboo in India.
- Dendrocalamus Strictus – This is a solid bamboo which is also known as Calcutta bamboo. This bamboo can be cultivated everywhere in India. Dendrocalamus Strictus bamboo is used in paper making companies and tools made from this variety of bamboo are used in agriculture.
- Dendrocalamus giganteus – Dendrocalamus giganteusis considered to be one of the tallest bamboo species in the world. It grows in large clumps consisting of several stems and usually reaches a height of 30 m to 35 m, but a one clump in Arunachal Pradesh, India reached a height of 42 m. Bamboo of this species is used to make furniture, vases, buckets, mats, boards, rural housing and water pipes.
Dendrocalamus hamiltoni – Dendrocalamus hamiltoni is known by many names in different regions of India. Such as Kako, Unep, Pao, Pecha and Phulrua. It can be found in semi-evergreen forests and prefers fine textured soil. It is found in large numbers in the north-eastern part of the country and the Himalayan region. Its stem is dark green in colour, 30 meters long. Bamboo of this species is used for making furniture, housing construction and household utensils.
- Dendrocalamus brandisii – The stem of Dendrocalamus brandisii species of bamboo is ash brown in colour and has a smooth texture. This species of bamboo is found in Manipur and Karnataka. The height of Dendrocalamus brandisii species of bamboo is 20 metres. This species is generally found in tropical forests. Bamboo of this species is used to make furniture, baskets, handicrafts etc.
- Dendrocalamus asper – Dendrocalamus asper also known as giant bamboo or dragon bamboo. Dendrocalamus asper is an evergreen bamboo that grows rapidly up to 15 – 30 meters. Dendrocalamus asper poles are used as a building material and structural timber for heavy construction such as houses and bridges.
- Bambusa Bamboo – The bamboo of this variety is thorny, which is also called male bamboo. This variety of bamboo is found the most in India. Bambusa bamboo is used extensively for making roofs of houses, furniture manufacturing and handicrafts.
- Bambusa vulgaris – Bambusa vulgaris or common bamboo is an erect, evergreen, clumping bamboo that grows 15 – 20 m high. This bamboo can be found in the natural forests of central India and the northeast. Bamboo of this species is used for hunting or fishing equipment, household or personal items, electricity and fuel, bamboo extracts are also used to treat inflammatory conditions.
- Bambusa Tulda – Bambusa Tulda commonly known as Bengal bamboo or Indian timber bamboo. Bambusa Tulda is an evergreen or deciduous, clumping bamboo with stems 6 – 20 m tall. The thin-walled rods are about 50 – 100 mm in diameter and the internodes are 36 – 60 cm long. Bambusa Tulda is used for housing construction, furniture, matting and handicrafts among many other things.
- Bambusa nutans – Also known as Burmese timber bamboo or nodding bamboo. It is a medium sized beautiful and ornamental evergreen bamboo with white rings on the stem below each node, this species of bamboo is very popular among plant enthusiasts
- Bambusa Polymorpha – commonly known as Burmese Bamboo. Bambusa Polymorpha is an evergreen bamboo that grows rapidly from 10 to 30 meters. Bambusa Polymorpha is a bamboo that has a wide variety of uses. Its stems are used as raw material for building houses, making woven mats, baskets, furniture, handicrafts and paper pulp and boards.It is one of the major bamboo species found easily in India. Currently, about 148 bamboo species from 29 genera are found in India. (Both wild and cultivated)
Bamboo Cultivation in India: Cultivation Requirements
- Soil: Most bamboos grow best in deep, well-drained, fertile soil, and they generally prefer neutral to slightly acidic soils. Soils that are too compact or sticky or clayey, rocky and too sandy are not suitable for bamboo plants. Plants will grow in such areas but their growth will be very slow.
- Climatic Conditions: The bamboo plant grows well in a warm, humid environment and is sensitive to cold temperatures. Bamboo grows best in areas with temperatures ranging from 18°C to 38°C.
- Drainage/Waterlogging: An area with good drainage is considered good for bamboo cultivation, as such an area can protect the plants from sudden floods.
- Irrigation: Bamboo plant does not require much water. 2 to 3 liters of water in a week is sufficient for this plant.
- Manure: Balanced, organic manure like cow dung manure, goat manure, Verm compost, chicken manure is given to the plants to give good results.
Bamboo Cultivation in India: Bamboo Growing Methods
Bamboo can also be grown through seeds, but you rarely find bamboo seeds in the market because once the bamboo plant flowers, it dies soon after. And you will be surprised to know that many bamboo species are also sterile and do not have flowers or seeds at all. Now in such a situation, those rare species are also grown through culms and rhizomes.
The most popular methods of growing bamboo plants are as follows:
- Propagation through seeds.
- Propagation using culm cuttings.
- Propagation using Branch cuttings.
- Propagation using Rhizome cuttings.
- Propagation by Layering.
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Briefly About Bamboo Cultivation.
- Distance between bamboo plants – Small-diameter bamboos 4 × 4 m. Medium-diameter bamboo 5 × 5 to 7 × 7 m. Large-diameter bamboo7 × 7 to 10 × 10 m.
- Harvesting time of bamboo – In commercial cultivation, it is best harvested in the sixth year. 6 culms can be harvested in the sixth year, followed by 7 culms in the seventh year, 8 culms in the eighth year and 9 culms from the ninth year onwards.
- Uses of Bamboo – Bamboo has many uses, mainly construction (flooring, ceiling designing, and scaffolding), furniture, food, biofuel, clothing, paper, pulp, charcoal, ornamental garden planting etc.
- Bamboo market – You can sell bamboo in single form in the local market which sells at a good rate. Also, if you want to sell bamboo in bulk, then you can contact paper making companies and fuel making companies and sell it to them, who will buy bamboo from you at a good rate.
- Single bamboo rate – The starting price of a piece of bamboo ranges from Rs 60 to Rs 80 and depends on the length.
Bamboo Cultivation in India: Disease and Pest Control
Bamboo plants are mostly affected by spider mites, aphids and scale insects. If these insects are not controlled properly, these insects can weaken the plants and hinder their growth. to save the plants from these insects, you can spray contact insecticide in appropriate quantity in chemical and if you are cultivating bamboo in organic form, then you can save the plants from these insects by spraying Neem oil (1500 ppm). if you see some white fungus on the bamboo leaves, then you can save the plants by spraying any contact fungicide on it.
Bamboo Cultivation in India: Profit Per Acre
If you plant bamboo saplings at a distance of 12 x 12 in one acre, then 400 to 450 saplings will be planted in one acre. the investment on each sapling will be around Rs 35, which means that when other expenses are added, around Rs 20 to 25 thousand can be spent per acre. After five years, at the time of harvesting, around 4000 bamboos can be cut from one acre. If we assume a minimum price of Rs 35 per stalk for each bamboo, then the income per acre will be around Rs 1,40,000.
National Bamboo Mission
National Bamboo Mission was launched in 2018-19. This scheme is operated under the “Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)” scheme. It focuses on the development of bamboo in states where it has economic, social and cultural benefits, such as the North-Eastern states and states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
National Bamboo Mission invites farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers and people from bamboo-based industry to send in their experiences, innovations, and good practices adopted for increased productivity. https://t.co/AxXpHFpKl1 @AgriGoI @nstomar pic.twitter.com/bCdLpjAFev
— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) December 30, 2020
Objectives of National Bamboo Mission#Kisan#Bambooplantation#postharvest pic.twitter.com/LtvmVtBwfS
— Agriculture INDIA (@AgriGoI) January 16, 2020
Is it legal to grow bamboo in India?
Bamboo was considered a tree in the Indian Forest Act 1927. Cutting or transporting bamboo was a legal offense. The Narendra Modi government amended the law and declared bamboo as grass. Now farmers have great opportunities to cultivate bamboo in non-forest areas, which will achieve the “dual purpose” of increasing income as well as increasing the green cover of the country.
Conclusion:
Bamboo farming offers a unique blend of sustainability, profitability and social responsibility. By understanding the key points and overcoming the challenges, you can establish a prosperous bamboo farm and contribute to a greener future.
FAQ.
1. How long does it take for bamboo to grow?
It takes 4 to 5 years for a bamboo plant to fully grow.
2. What is the price of bamboo plants?
The price of a bamboo plant in the market is around Rs 80 to 120.
3. Is bamboo farming legal in India?
Bamboo was considered a tree in the Indian Forest Act 1927. Cutting or transporting bamboo was a legal offense. The Narendra Modi government amended the law and declared bamboo as grass. Now farmers have great opportunities to cultivate bamboo in non-forest areas, which will achieve the “dual purpose” of increasing income as well as increasing the green cover of the country.
Good information.
You have explained very well about bamboo cultivation.
Good information