The National Bamboo Mission is promoting bamboo cultivation in the country with the aim of doubling the income of the farmers. For the farmers of the state, the day of May 19, 2022 has proved to be full of gifts. On this day, for the first time in the country, the ban on the export of bamboo charcoal has been lifted.

It is noteworthy that the head of the forest department Ashok Varnwal, the head of the forest force RK Gupta and the Director of the Bamboo Mission  Uttam Kumar Subuddhi had presented solid arguments for lifting the ban on the export of bamboo charcoal in the interest of the nation.

This important decision will prove to be a boon for the bamboo based industries and the beneficiaries in remote rural areas to become financially prosperous. Bamboo charcoal is in high demand in the international market.

With the removal of export restrictions, the bamboo industry will be able to make more profit. The maximum use of bamboo waste will also be possible.

Bamboo charcoal is used as a raw material for barbecue, soil nutrition, and in the manufacture of high-grade charcoal. It is in high demand in the international markets of USA, Japan, Korea, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France and UK.

Presently the bamboo industry is grappling with the use and very high cost of bamboo. Bamboo is used extensively in the manufacture of incense sticks. About 16 percent of bamboo is used for making incense sticks. The incense sticks industry provides employment to people in a large part of the country.

With the intention of providing more employment opportunities, there has been a demand to change the import policy on ‘raw incense sticks’ and increase the import duty on round bamboo sticks. Bamboo sticks are imported from Vietnam and China.

Seeing high demand, the Commerce Ministry banned the import of raw incense sticks in September 2019 and increased the import duty on round bamboo sticks in June 2020.

Madhya Pradesh is in the category of rich in bamboo production. Bamboo production is done here in an area of ??18 thousand 394 square kilometer, which is the highest in the country. State Bamboo Mission implements the schemes of National Bamboo Mission in the state. So far, bamboo plantation has been undertaken on 15 thousand hectares of agricultural land by the Mission.