Punjab turns to bamboo as new diversification option; Centre approves Rs 2.49cr

Punjab has taken the first organized step in diversifying its crops by bringing bamboo cultivation into its strategy, with the Centre approving Rs 2.49 crore under the National Bamboo Mission (NBM) for 2026-27. The allocation follows a 60:40 Centre-state funding pattern, with the state contributing Rs 99.94 lakh and the central government providing Rs 1.49 crore.

The Punjab Agriculture Department has mapped out a plan to initially plant bamboo on over 857 acres across the state as demonstration plantations, chosen for their suitability under the region's agro-climatic conditions. Three market-oriented bamboo varieties are to be planted: Bambusa nutans, Bambusa tulda and Bambusa balcooa, which can be used in industries like pulp and paper, textiles, and handicrafts.

The director of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in Punjab, Gurjit Singh Brar, highlighted the potential of bamboo for waterlogged areas and its possible impact on soil erosion. Farmers can start harvesting after around the third year, and a well-established plantation could generate Rs 7-8 lakh per acre annually, with no need for replanting.

Brar also emphasized the department's commitment to creating a complete bamboo-based economic chain, from nurseries and plantations to harvesting, processing, manufacturing, and marketing.