INDIAN STATE : MIZORAM

Major Industries

Bamboo

Mizoram, with an area of 21,090 sq. Km. has an abundant reserve of Bamboo forest covering 12,54,400 ha, contributing to 14% of All India Bamboo Distribution. Bamboo is distributed thoroughly between 400-1520 m altitude. Melocanna baccifera (Mautak) is the major component of bamboo in Mizoram. The total bamboo yield works out to be 32,37,689 MT/Year.

A total of 20 species of bamboo have been recorded in the forest of Mizoram. Out of these species, Melocanna baccifera is the predominant and occupies 95% of the bamboo-afforested land in the state. It is often distributed in tropical and subtropical riverine reserves and valleys and grows profusely in the drainage areas of the Tlawng, Tut, Teirei, Lang-kaih and Barak rivers in west Aizawl. It is a very versatile species, the culms grow to 20 metres tall and are strong and durable with slender fibres and inconspicuous nodes which renders them ideal for house building, weaving, pulping and the production of small softwood products such as incense sticks, chopsticks and toothpicks. The shoots can also be eaten, and are of high quality.

Bamboo for sustainable development:

Bamboo in agriculture: Bamboo pipes are used to irrigate vast tracts of agricultural land in different agro-ecological settings. More than a million bamboo pumps are in current use. Bamboo is also used in making dams, dikes, sluice gates, farm implements, props, stakes, floats fish trap, silk cocoon trays, chicken coops, windbreak barriers and several other articles.

Bamboo in construction: Bamboo houses are traditional in many countries and shelter 1000 people. It is used for pillars, post, stilts, rafters, roofing, flooring, walling, scaffolding and a host of other purposes. Bamboo's mechanical properties also make it an ideal material for earthquake resistant and emergency housing.

Bamboo in handicrafts: Bamboo's natural elegance and easy workability make it a choice material for handicrafts. The Chinese manufacture more than 8000 bamboo and rattan items. From buttons to baskets, from lamps to lacquer ware, from mats to musical instruments from toys to walking sticks, bamboo can make it all.

Bamboo in transportation: Bamboo cullms float in water as they are lightweight and the inteodes are filled with air. This property has been put to use for thousand of years in making rafts, junks and boats, and their masts sail and outriggers. Bamboo is also used in making wagon floor, carts and their hoods, and suspension bridges.

Bamboo in micro enterprises: Micro enterprises make extensive use of bamboo in furniture, handmade paper, handlooms, curtains and blinds, toothpicks, chopsticks, incense sticks and various other products. The incense stick industry in India has over 3800 production units that generate nearly US $ 400 million from domestic and export markets.

Bamboo in industry: Bamboo is an ideal raw material for many industries. The bamboo shoots industry in China earns US $ 130 million per year from exports. About half of India's bamboo consumption is for making paper pulp. Other major uses of bamboo are in the production of rayon, activated charcoal and flooring and paneling products

Per capita consumption of Bamboo is 4.41 nos. in rural area and 1.81 nos. in urban area.

• Number of bamboo species recorded in Mizoram = 21
• Melocana baccifera (Mautak) constitute about 95% of the total stock.

Availability of bamboo species in Mizoram and their uses:

There are 20 bamboo species available in Mizoram out of which the following are some of the list of Bamboo species with their uses:

Mizoram invites prospective private investors and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for setting up of industrial units for making bamboo chips, bamboo mat ply, toothpicks, bamboo blinds, chopsticks, incense stick (agarbatti) either in Joint Venture with Mizoram Bamboo Development Agency or other with local entrepreneurs.