Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has urged the Centre to lift the “export prohibition” on bamboo charcoal for optimum utilisation of raw bamboo and higher profitability in the bamboo industry. KVIC Chairman Vinai Kumar Saxena has written to Union Minister of Commerce and Industries, Piyush Goyal, seeking to lift the export restriction on bamboo charcoal for larger benefit of the bamboo industry.

As per the KVIC data, in India, bamboo is mostly used in manufacturing of Agarbatti wherein, a maximum of 16%, i.e. the upper layers of the bamboo, is used for manufacturing of bamboo sticks while the remaining 84% of bamboo is a complete waste. The Bamboo waste generated in Agarbatti and bamboo craft industries is not being utilized commercially, as a result, the Bamboo input cost for Round Bamboo Sticks is in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per MT as against the average Bamboo cost of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per MT. Compared to this, the Bamboo price in China is Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per MT but their input cost is Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per MT owing to 100% waste utilization.

“One of the biggest challenges that the Indian bamboo industry faces today is the extremely high input cost owing to inadequate utilization of bamboo. However, export of bamboo charcoal would ensure complete utilization of the bamboo waste and thus make the bamboo business more profitable,” it said.

“The bamboo waste can be best utilized by making “Bamboo Charcoal” which, though, has a very limited use within the domestic market but it is hugely in demand in the international market. However, the Indian bamboo industry is not able to tap the opportunity due to its “export prohibition”. Considering the repeated requests of the industry, KVIC has requested the government to consider lifting the export restriction on bamboo charcoal. This would not only enable the industry to exploit huge global demand but also enhance the profitability of existing KVIC units by proper utilisation of bamboo waste and thus contribute to the Hon’ble PM’s vision of “Waste to Wealth”,” Saxena said.

Notably, the world import demand of bamboo charcoal has been hovering in the range of USD 1.5 to 2 billion and has been growing at the rate of 6% in recent years.