Vietnam rakes in US$400 million annually from bamboo product exports
VOV.VN - Vietnam grosses between US$300 million and US$400 million from the export of bamboo products annually, with the European Union, the Republic of Korea, and Japan being the country’s largest export markets, reports the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Vietnam has approximately 1.6 million hectares of land under bamboo cultivation, producing 2.5 – 3 million tonnes of bamboo products. Items made of bamboo are varied, ranging from plywood, sedge mats, tables and chairs to teapots, bamboo chopsticks and other household utensils.
According to experts, bamboo, a material which is resistant to earthquakes, helps prevent erosion, restore degraded soil, and absorb carbon, contributing to reducing the impact of climate change. It also significantly contributes to the development of eco-tourism and preservation of the country’s numerous traditional values, as well as creating jobs, improving the overall quality of life, and increasing income for rural people.
Bamboo development is also a sustainable agricultural farming direction which falls in line with the new consumer trend towards green and circular agriculture in the future, with the ultimate aim of bringing a higher value to the agricultural sector.
Michel Abadie, president of the World Bamboo Organization, who is in Vietnam for the fourth world bamboo conference, said with adequate investment, bamboo cultivation combined with eco-tourism will rapidly develop, helping to generate income for local people in rural areas and protect the environment.