Large export market for bamboo and rattan products

According Mr. Doan Van Lan, Director of Doi Moi Co., Ltd., in 2020, his company signed an over US$3 million contract to export products and there’s always a need for their products. The reason is that European and American consumers like environment-friendly products that are made from natural materials; however, the bamboo and rattan craft almost disappeared in these developed countries. And that is a golden opportunity for Vietnam’s traditional craft villages.

Currently, Mr. Lan’s business is providing training and product consumption for more than 10,000 manual workers, most of whom are from vulnerable groups such as women and the elderly in rural areas. That is a very remarkable number in the context of high rate of rural underemployment.

According to Mr. Lan, 12 years ago, there were only 20 people in Chan Binh commune, Kim Son district who knew how to knit. But now, thanks to the training classes held by provincial Women’s Union, there are more than 2,000 knitters, forming a busy craft commune.

Over the years, Doi Moi Co., Ltd. has been coordinating with vocational training centers, sending teachers to train knitting jobs for rural workers. The company will buy the products that trainees have made during the course for export. It is a very effective and sustainable way to operate.

Although the market demand for knitting and plaiting products is large, it is difficult for businesses to raise the selling price of their products because China has a policy of subsidizing exported rattan and bamboo products, in order to dominate the international market. At the same time, they also ensure social security, especially for people in traditional craft villages.

Because the profitability of bamboo and rattan products is very low, it is necessary for the State to support enterprises in production and business premises and in income tax cuts in order to attract more investors.

According to Mr. Lan, the State needs to invest in scientific research to discover high quality sedge and water hyacinth varieties that have good disease resistance and to build stable material areas for production.

“For every 1m2 of hyacinth planting, 2 kg of product will be harvested. So with 2 crops per year, the profit is much higher compared to rice cultivation. But it is necessary to have solutions to prevent grasshoppers from leaf-eating”.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said that the bamboo and rattan industry has great advantages for development. But in order to develop sustainably, businesses need to work closely with cooperatives to build sedge and water hyacinth areas as input materials for production. And of course, there will be state policies to support cooperatives to develop raw material areas.

In addition, in order to increase the added value of bamboo and rattan products, it is necessary to have design centers to create new models to meet the increasing requirements of international consumers. Rattan and bamboo enterprises should also submit to the Government requests for favorable loan interest rate or support in manufacturing premises.