KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia exported RM9.9 million worth of bamboo products last year. Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said the economic contribution of the Malaysian bamboo industry was still low compared with the US$68.8 billion (RM288.2 billion) global bamboo market.
“Bamboo is synonymous with the Malaysian community, with its handicraft products and for other daily uses.
“Various innovations and novelty products made from bamboo such as furniture, lamination boards, floors and fabrics have been widely used.
“Bamboo is also being used as a component in the construction industry known as green steel.
“The ministry with the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB) will continue to ensure various programmes and initiatives related to the development of the bamboo industry will be implemented.
“This initiative is important as the bamboo industry can be developed as one of the commodity-agri to generate income as well as benefit the community,” she said at the launch of the Bamboo Based Product Exhibition organised by MTIB today.
Products featured include bamboo strips, bamboo slips, planks, furniture, bicycles, guitars, flooring, accessories and bags.
She also said a bamboo industry cluster development would be implemented with the setting up of a bamboo nursery on a 1.7ha plot in Taman Industri Perabot Lahat in Ulu Kinta, Perak, .
“The development of a tissue culture lab for bamboo seedlings and research on the production of quality bamboo seedlings with an estimated production of 100,000 bamboo seeds per month is also being planned and will be implemented by 2020 with an allocation of RM7 million,” she added.