Mumbai, Sep 19 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that the Maharashtra government will soon implement the bamboo industry policy by laying focus on creating sustainable market to promote bamboo cultivation.

He further stated that bamboo cultivation will be useful in meeting the challenges of climate change in the agricultural sector. He was speaking at the Bamboo Conference organized by Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA) and Phoenix Foundation here in Mumbai.

He announced that the state government will implement the Bamboo Mission in Maharashtra on mission mode.

CM Fadnavis said that bamboo is an important option to revolutionize the lives of farmers. Bamboo can be a sustainable crop for farmers who are constantly facing the effects of climate change. Bamboo is a crop like sugarcane.

Once planted, it does not need to be looked after frequently. “Crops like cotton and soybean are affected by climate change , but if bamboo is planted, its impact can be reduced,” he remarked.

The chief minister said that there is a need to create an integrated ecosystem to encourage farmers to cultivate bamboo. Along with this, emphasis will also have to be placed on the demand and supply chain of bamboo.

“It takes three years to get the yield of bamboo, which is a long period, so researchers should find such varieties of bamboo that will yield in two years. If Napier grass is planted together with bamboo, it will be beneficial,” he stated.

He added that bamboo products will be included in the procurement policy of the state government to promote bamboo production.

“Emphasis will be placed on bamboo cultivation in the districts where there are energy projects in the state . We will undertake a major campaign of bamboo cultivation on government fallow lands in the state. Along with this, 5,000 trees will be planted in Gadchiroli keeping in mind the natural habitat there,” said the chief minister.

He said that farmers will be encouraged to cultivate bamboo through the state run power generation company MahaGenco on the lines of MNREGA, adding that a comprehensive plan will be prepared for this.

“The state government will also determine the market and price of bamboo. A policy will be formulated through the Energy Department in this regard and a market will be made available for bamboo products,” he announced.

–IANS

sj/pgh