AGARTALA, March 17 (TIWN): After the rubber cultivation here in Tripura, the resident of Tripura Mohanbhog ,Hezamara and Mohonpur RD Block have shown interest in Bamboo plantation in the state of Tripura. The farmers across the state are now keeping eye on planting bamboos in spite of rubber cultivation.

Farmers of the state had already faced a major downfall in the rubber plantation and shown interest in bamboo plantation for their livelihood, which has a tremendous demand rising in the entire state. And with this the Bamboo plantation has now became a real alternative to rubber cultivation.  

Tripura is one of the major bamboo producing states in India. Bamboo grows all across the state of Tripura covering over nearly 10 to 15 different species. 

Muli Bamboo (Melocanna baccifera) is dominant specie with over 80% coverage.Species like Mritinga, Paura, Kanakaich, Dolu and Barak with differing properties and more amenable to higher value added products such as handicrafts, furniture and mats are grown in small pockets across the state.

Triupra Bamboo Mission (TBM) has a large focus on generating non-muli high value adding bamboo plantations especially as private plantations and homestead plantations. The mission has conducted extensive cluster requirements analysis.

Currently, the East Chandighar Panchayat under the Mohonpur sub-division has a bamboo factory which is functioning to make a bamboo products. Beside the Khumlung has a bamboo park.

Exposure visit for gram pradhans & village chairmen of charilam RD Block along with TBM team was excellent. Hope the newly elected public representatives from Charilam will be able to motivate some good farmers to take up high density bamboo plantation in their area. TBM is targeting to promote around 100 ha Paura bamboo plantation in Charilam block only.

TBM team organized a Training camp on Nursery bed & poly bag preparation for Creation of bamboo(b.polymorpha) tissue culture nursery at Purba chandigarh panchayat under Mohanbhog R.D.Block,under  sepahijala  District Tripura.

With the farmers coming forward to adopt bamboo plantation, the Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM) is planning to bring more plots under bamboo cultivation in the next season starting April or May. Last year 360 hectares plots have been brought under bamboo cultivation by using MGNREGA fund. Bamboo grows all across Tripura covering over 10 to 14 different species. Last year, 2.32 lakh MT of bamboo were grown in the state and the figure is almost the same this year. Considering the growing demand for bamboo shoots as an Asian delicacy in starred hotels, the Tripura government is planning to commercially produce the vegetable.

Many tribals in Tripura are now eking out their living by cultivating bamboo, which has a very emotional relation with their lives.  Farmers are cultivating bamboo in Tripura’s West district with aid from Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM). The tribals eat bamboo shoots, which is like their staple food. They make their huts in the rural areas with bamboos and thatch the roofs of their huts with bamboo leaves, they make fencing with it and it is also used in their pujas and marriages. Farmers initially cultivated rubber, but now turned to bamboo cultivation as price of rubber latex dropped from Rs 160 to Rs 90 per kg. They say that they earn by selling ripe bamboos and also gets good price for selling bamboo shoots.  About 50 tribals in the block are now taking to bamboo cultivation.

Experts say bamboo can absorb around 25 per cent more carbon than other plantation crops, and can speedily combat global warming.

TBM will strengthen the bamboo based clusters in the state and build their competitive advantage through an integrated approach of building infrastructure, linking markets and providing technology, skills, design and institutional development.