Vietnamese bamboo products have been popular for more than 100 countries and territories. Their export value achieved at $300 – 400 million per year, on average. In which, EU, Japan, the US, and China are the major import markets.
Bamboo is a familiar crop in many rural villages. However, it has now evolved into a potential economic sector.
Currently bamboo cultivation area is large, which ranks the fourth in the world. Despite this, Vietnam’s market share represents only 3% of global bamboo trade. Therefore, the goal of capturing more than10% of the global bamboo trade in the next decade is deemed achievable.
Vietnam has abundant bamboo resources, including economically valuable species like “Tam Vong” and “Tre Gai.” Especially, bamboo thrives in arid lands and harsh climates, making it suitable for mountainous and remote areas. Therefore, many localities have transitioned from low-yield crops to bamboo cultivation.
In To Lan village, Lam Dong province, local people never imagined escaping poverty. After shifting from unproductive crops to bamboo, only two households in the village remain impoverished.
“Cashew farming was hard, disease-prone, and unprofitable. Bamboo is disease-resistant and produces quality output,” a local grower shared.
To ensure stable output, the village established a Bamboo Processing Cooperative in 2021. This initiative led to official recognition as a bamboo production village by Lam Dong province.
A local governor, noted: “We encourage local growers to care for and harvest bamboo carefully. After that, they will sell materials to Vietnam exporting companies of hand-made products. As a result, this ensures stable income for villagers.”
By cultivating more than 50 hectares, local livelihoods have significantly improved. Bamboo also conserves water and helps protect forests, contributing to environmental sustainability in the South Central Highlands.
Communities in South Central Highlands are transforming economically while building a local bamboo brand. Currently, trading companies are partnering to process and market Vietnamese bamboo products domestically and internationally.
Recognized as a craft village, local workers have stable work and income. Due to training from export enterprises of handicraft, these workers have gradually mastered theirs skills. Therefore, they can produce bamboo products that require more skillful techniques from global customers.
These days, consumers increasingly prefer eco-friendly products. In which, hand-made products from Vietnam are praised for their aesthetics, variety, and durability comparable to wood.
However, to ensure a sustainable consumption pathway both domestically and for export, a long term linkage strategy is necessary. In addition, focusing on bamboo plantation and production that comply with international standards is also a significant advantage for export.
Vietnamese sources: vtv.vn