Bamboo Farming Holds Promise to Uplift Vidarbha's Farmers: Experts
He was speaking at the first bamboo harvest at the Agroforestry Research Farm of Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV).
Illorkar, who has been leading the study on bamboo since 2010, said that the university has submitted 15 key research-based recommendations to the state govt over the years, which have been implemented through various policies. Despite being a traditional resource, bamboo cultivation demands specialised skills.
The tools used are still traditional, but training is necessary, as general labourers often cannot operate them effectively," he said.
Illorkar emphasised the need to match bamboo varieties with available labour capacities, and also stressed the importance of fumigation and post-harvest handling.
Adding to the discussion, bamboo entrepreneur Ashish Kaswa, who out of his 27 cultivation sites, collaborated with the PDKV and harvested the plant at the facility, said, "The plant has the natural ability to absorb toxic elements such as arsenic from water and convert them into harmless salts," he said.
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Kaswa said that this could come in handy for Vidarbha, where many districts have high alkaline water.
Additionally, bamboo retains 70–80% moisture in its early stages, requiring proper awareness to avoid premature harvesting. Despite its ecological and economic value, challenges in training labour, high harvesting costs, and misinformation have hindered widespread adoption.
"Bamboo, unlike other crops, requires specific knowledge and labour training, which most daily-wage farm workers lack," said Kaswa adding that current harvesting costs of Rs2,000 per tonne need to be brought down to Rs 1,200 to make the venture viable.
Historically, bamboo's use in India was curbed by the 1927 Forest Control Act imposed by the British, who restricted its cultivation and trade. "The Britishers labelled it 'poor man's timber' and psychologically distanced even the affluent Indians from its use," said Kaswa, adding that bamboo played a vital role in Indian culture, from surgical procedures to cremation. However, in 2017, bamboo was finally removed from the Forest Act by the Central govt.
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