Bamboo stakeholders appeal to local banks for support as they gear up to start paper, value-added production

The organisation overseeing the development of a bamboo industry in Jamaica has launched an appeal to financial institutions for support.

Chairman of the Bamboo Industry Association of Jamaica (BIAJ), Robert Rainford, said several initiatives were currently under way that would see Jamaica producing paper and other valued-added products from bamboo in a year's time. 

However, Rainford said the fledgling industry was in need of capital funding and appealed to local banks for support. He said the government was expected to increase its support to the sector.

The BIAJ chairman said a group of local and overseas investors was in the process of building a processing facility that will produce paper and other value-added items from the bamboo plant.

The overseas investors come from Guatemala, Canada and China, he said.

“We are expecting that very soon, approval will be granted for funding to move the process forward. In a year’s time, we expect to be producing paper products for the Jamaican market,” Rainford said.

The BIAJ chairman was addressing a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank, where he provided details about projects being undertaken to drive growth in the bamboo industry.

He also said the BIAJ was overseeing a bamboo charcoal factory in Peckham, Clarendon.

The Clarendon Municipal Corporation is also collaborating with the BIAJ in developing a pre-processing facility to produce desks and chairs for schools under a project with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

“We have also been using bamboo to make stretchers for the sports programmes in schools. Some have already been delivered and by the end of November, we will have 1,000 stretchers to be delivered,” Rainford disclosed.

He noted further that seven acres of mined-out lands provided by the Noranda Bauxite Company are being used in Clapham, St Ann to grow bamboo.

In addition, the bamboo association has partnered with the University of the West Indies (UWI) Biotechnology Centre to investigate best practices in the growing of bamboo, and 81 young persons have been trained in bamboo technology to provide additional support to the sector.

Rainford hailed private investors, who have committed to supporting the growth of the bamboo production sector.

He said over 300 bamboo growers have indicated an interest in becoming a part of the association.

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