The Tripura government has launched an ambitious five-year initiative to expand bamboo production for industrial use nearly 100-fold, targeting 45,000 hectares of plantation by 2025-26. This strategic move aims to bolster the state’s position as a leading supplier of bamboo products in India.

Currently, Tripura supplies around 70% of the country’s bamboo requirements for agarbatti (incense stick) production, and the government is keen to attract more industries to capitalise on this resource. With 21 species of bamboo and 4.2 lakh hectares of bamboo-bearing land, as reported by the Forest Survey of India 2023, the state has significant untapped potential for commercial bamboo cultivation.

At present, industrial bamboo plantations cover just 461.32 hectares, but under the new plan, this will be expanded by 9,000 hectares annually, reaching 45,000 hectares by the end of the initiative.

Subhash Chandra Das, Additional Mission Director of the Tripura Bamboo Mission (TBM), highlighted that the plan will streamline the bamboo supply chain, making it easily accessible for industries. Transportation of bamboo from remote forests and hilly areas has long been a challenge, but cultivating bamboo on private land in accessible locations will eliminate logistical barriers and ensure a steady industrial supply.

The Tripura Bamboo Plantation Development Scheme will be implemented with support from multiple government agencies, including MGNREGA, the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, and the Tribal Welfare Department. These agencies will work collectively to meet annual production targets over the next five years.

Demand for bamboo in Tripura is soaring. The state currently requires around 2 lakh metric tons (MT) per year, but with the rapid growth of bamboo-based industries, demand is projected to double to 4 lakh MT annually within the next two to three years.

Industrial expansion is particularly evident in West Tripura and Sepahijala districts, where two major private companies at the Bodhjungnagar Bamboo Park manufacture incense sticks and bamboo tiles, while smaller factories produce agarbatti for markets in Bangalore, Andhra Pradesh, Guwahati, and Kolkata.

Beyond industrial applications, bamboo is increasingly being used in construction, scaffolding, and handicrafts. The upcoming Integrated Bamboo Park in Unakoti district will further drive demand for high-quality bamboo, positioning Tripura as a national leader in bamboo-based manufacturing and innovation.