Nod to Bamboo Soup Industries in State
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 03 2013:
Under the National Bamboo Mission, the Government of India given approval for setting up three Bamboo Soup Industries in Manipur with financial support of Rs.15 Lakh each to entrepreneurs willing to take up the venture, Oinam Nabakishore (IAS), Principal Secretary of Commerce and Industry, Government of Manipur has disclosed.
In an exclusive interview to Hueiyen Lanpao at his office chamber today, Nabakishore pointed out that Bamboo soup is a very important product for export from Manipur to Japan.
Nabakishore recalled that an official team from Manipur comprising Govindas Konthoujam, Minister of Commerce and Industry; I.Hemochandra, Minister of PHC; M.Prithviraj, Parliamentary Secretary in-charge of Tourism; Dr.Rajesh Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary of Tourism and himself visited Japan on September 16 and met Kenji Hanamura, Deputy Director, Special Forest Product Office and Fumio Sharaga, representative of International Economic Affair Division, Japan to discuss about the present bamboo cultivation and products scenario in Japan.
During the course of the discussion, it was learnt that in Japan, 68 percent of total land area is covert by forest.
Out of this, 41 percent is artificial including 0.6 percent covered by bamboo grooves.
In Japan, bamboo plant is one of the most important items.
Apart from using bamboo soup as an important food item, Japanese uses bamboo for furniture, utensil, etc.
However, due to high labour charge, Japan cannot produce sufficient bamboo product as on 2012, production as well as plantation area has also decreased day by day.
Taking advantage of this changing scenario, China has stepped in import of huge amount of bamboo products into Japan, the Principal Secretary said.
However, after knowing that Manipur has rich Bamboo resources, the Japanese officials have shown keen interest and Japan External Trade Relation Organization has even given the assurance for extending necessary support if Manipur wants to export bamboo products to Japan, the officer added.
Taking into consideration of this fact, as well as the approval that has been by the Government of India for extending financial support to entrepreneurs for setting up Bamboo Soup Industries, interested individuals can get the detailed guidelines from the concerned officials of the Commerce and Industry, Government of Manipur, the Principal Secretary conveyed.