China's bamboo industry starts a new journey

In 2019, China's forestry industry realized a total output value of 7.56 trillion yuan, of which the output value of the bamboo industry was close to 300 billion yuan. China Bamboo Industry Association proposed that by 2030, the output value of the bamboo industry will quadruple to 1 trillion yuan. In 2050, the bamboo industry will keep pace with the forest industry.

The basis for setting the two goals is that the bamboo industry has undergone profound changes in recent years.

The concepts of bamboo science and the bamboo industry are gradually recognized and accepted by academia, industry, and the public. The nature of bamboo plants is different from woody and gramineous plants. First, it is unique in environmental protection: the bamboo forest is luxuriant with strong photosynthesis; The bamboo root system is developed, and the soil holding capacity is strong; The bamboo pole grows fast, the cutting age is short, and the carbon fixation rate is high; The air and water quality in the forest area are good and healthy. Second, bamboo paper timber can be harvested for 1-2 years, and engineering timber can be harvested for 4-5 years. The thinning degree per unit area is 1/3 or 1/4. After regular and quantitative cutting of bamboo forests, bamboo farmers have been promoted to develop new shoots and expand bamboo whips, and have gained stable income year after year. A bamboo forest shall be renewed in time to promote healthy growth. Regular and quantitative harvesting of bamboo can provide China with abundant bamboo and alleviate the shortage of wood. Third, bamboo plants have no major diseases and insect pests, and no need to spray pesticides, forming an original ecological bamboo forest system free of pesticide pollution. The original bamboo forest food bamboo shoots, bamboo fungus, and bamboo tea become natural green organic food. Fourth, the root system of bamboo plants is extremely developed and has a strong function of absorbing water and nutrients, conserving water, fixing soil, and keeping green. Fifthly, the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo are different from wood, creating a foundation and conditions for the high-quality development of the bamboo industry.

Taking full advantage of the characteristics of bamboo plants, China's bamboo industry has embarked on a new journey. At present and in the future, the main tasks are as follows:

First, pay equal attention to the protection and effective utilization of bamboo resources, formulate regular and quantitative harvesting indicators, and build a stable supply chain of bamboo raw materials. In the past, due to the impact of fluctuations in the secondary industry, bamboo forests in China have not been cut reasonably, which objectively not only reduces the contribution to the environment but also affects the healthy growth of bamboo forests. Therefore, with the support of the government and the responsibility of large enterprises, it is of great significance to develop a long-term logging control mechanism to harvest, utilize and store 100% of the mature bamboo of the year. At present, with the formation of specialized logging machinery systems, the establishment of logging teams and the participation of social forces, the new business form of the primary industry has come to the fore.

The second is to build an industrial chain of bamboo standard materials and intermediate bamboo products. Due to the influence of natural form, the geometric dimensions are different, and the physical and mechanical properties are different. At present, the standardization of bamboo processing and bamboo products in China is not enough, and it is necessary to overtake at corners. It is urgent to standardize the directional processing of bamboo processing units such as round bamboo, bamboo strip, bamboo silk, and bamboo flat according to unified standards. Under this trend, according to the size determined by the standard, special bamboo machinery and equipment are customized to form standardization and normalization of bamboo, processing technology, processing equipment, and processing units. Bamboo standard materials are similar to wood specification materials. Mature woodworking equipment can be used to further lengthen, panels, and squares to make bamboo standard plates, square materials, and profiles. With the physical and mechanical properties of index parameters, bamboo standard materials can become stable reserve materials and commercial materials.

The third is to build the original bamboo forest food industry chain. Bamboo food growing in the original ecological environment, such as bamboo shoots, bamboo fungus, and bamboo tea, forms the bamboo forest food industry chain, in which bamboo shoots are one of the most important crude fiber healthy foods. Crude fiber is an essential food component for human health. Especially after China's economic development has reached a high level, people have reached a consensus on eating healthy, increasing crude fiber intake, and reducing obesity and other diseases. In addition to traditional regions in Asia, non-bamboo shoots eating traditional regions such as Europe and the United States gradually began to accept bamboo shoots as coarse fiber food. This is an opportunity for Chinese bamboo shoots to go global.

The fourth is to build the bamboo plastic industry chain. Since the advent of plastics and chemical products, packaging materials, agricultural films, plastic daily necessities, and appliances have flooded the home environment, not only increasing environmental pollution but also causing great harm to human health. In Europe, plastic straws, tableware, lunch boxes, and packaging bags will be completely prohibited in 2021. Following this, green bamboo products will have the opportunity to fill in. Bamboo paper, bamboo weaving, and bamboo materials that substitute bamboo for plastic are expected to become the supporting points of the emerging bamboo industry.

The fifth is to build an industrial chain of bamboo paper products. The bamboo paper industry is showing explosive growth. Papermaking originated in China, with a history of 2000 years, and the papermaking process is very mature. At present, the main factor limiting the development of bamboo paper is wastewater treatment. In recent years, with the introduction of alkali liquor recovery and black liquor combustion technology, and people's recognition of natural color paper, the bamboo paper has become a pillar product of the bamboo industry. From the perspective of papermaking, the bamboo species with high fiber content and good fiber performance, such as Neosinocalamus affinis, Mianzhu, and Dendrocalamus rigid, are suitable for cultivation as raw materials of bamboo for paper pulp. China's bamboo industry should speed up the cultivation and cultivation of bamboo for pulp to provide rich raw materials for paper making.

Sixthly, build the bamboo building materials industry chain. Bamboo has a shorter growth period than wood, which can replace wood and is widely used in building structures, decoration, and decoration. Bamboo grows fast and its raw materials are sustainable. At present, the large-scale production of bamboo-oriented particleboard meets the needs of large-scale social production. With the stability of the quality of bamboo products and the maturity of bamboo building decoration technology, bamboo decoration materials, bamboo furniture, and bamboo appliances are constantly innovating. With the expansion and extension of the bamboo construction and building materials industry chain, the bamboo industry will surely reach a new peak.

Seventh, create a beautiful bamboo residence industrial chain through the linkage of the first, second, and third industrial chains. Under the guarantee of sustainable bamboo raw materials, to meet the pursuit and yearning of modern people to be close to nature, bamboo production areas can carry out bamboo landscape planning and design, build beautiful bamboo landscapes, drive the transformation and upgrading of traditional villages and towns, and promote the construction of bamboo forest health town; Promote the upgrading of the second industry through bamboo structured buildings, bamboo building materials, bamboo decoration and fitment materials, bamboo furniture, bamboo kitchen utensils, and other bamboo products; Build a landmark permanent bamboo residential environment and a health and leisure place featuring bamboo, and gradually form a new business form of residential and urban building reconstruction with bamboo elements as the core.

Sichuan, Fujian, and Zhejiang have become the provinces with the highest output value of the bamboo industry in China, and Sichuan has been in the leading position in China for the first time. The focus of China's bamboo industry is shifting to the west.

China's bamboo industry has broken through the traditional category of forest and grass, covering cultural tourism, construction, building materials, chemical industry, food, paper making, textiles, light industrial handicrafts, and other industries. In the new journey of China's bamboo industry, cross-border integration, learning from each other's strengths, and win-win cooperation are needed to set sail for the high-quality development of human life and become brilliant.