Senator Norman Grant proposes revival of Bamboo and Rattan Industry in Jamaica - Private Sector involvement for the Large-Scale Growing of Bamboo Gods and Iron Men needed

“The Government, through the Ministries of (Industry), Investment and Commerce; and Agriculture (and Fisheries), should explore the establishment of a technical cooperation programme to train and develop Jamaica bamboo farmers and technical workers for bamboo processing,”

Senator Norman Grant, who put a motion on the floor in Parliament on Friday January 17^th 2014 Bureau of Standard's Bamboo and Indigenous Materials Advisory Council to be re-invigorated

Concerns about Farming are sprouting leaves and stems on my blog, fed by this sudden burst of Agricultural activity from the Ministry of Agriculture. Now the latest development in Farming is the issue of the formalization of a Bamboo and Rattan Industry in Jamaica as stated in “US$10b Bamboo Export Potential Brought Up In Parliament”, Published Friday January 17, 2014 5:47 pm, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

This issue has been brought up in Parliament by Senator Norman Grant, who put a motion on the floor in Parliament on Friday January 17^th 2014 Bureau of Standard's Bamboo and Indigenous Materials Advisory Council to be re-invigorated and drive the developement of high-value finished Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) products in Jamaica.

Senator Norman Grant has argued for Jamaica to follow China, the World’s major producer of Bamboo and Rattan, an Industry worth nearly US$15-billion and projected to reach some US$20 billion by 2015 as stated in “Govt Urged to Speed up Development of Bamboo Industry”, published January 20, 2014 By Latonya Linton, Jamaica Information Service.

He also wants Jamaica to enter into this lucrative trade due to our centralized location within the Americas as stated in “Senator renews debate on bamboo commercialisation”, published Monday, January 20, 2014 BY ALICIA DUNKLEY-WILLIS Senior staff reporter, The Jamaica Observer. To quote Senator Norman Grant: “We must be aware of the larger opportunity provided by our advantageous location and enhanced by our intention to establish a logistics hub in Jamaica”.

The Upper House of Parliament accepted his Private Motion for a Task Force to look into Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris)’s despite the fact that it was pointed out by Senator Robert Montague that Jamaica already has a Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) Industry and a Factory to boot as stated in the article “Grant Pushes For Bamboo Production”, Published Saturday January 18, 2014 by Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

In his comments, Opposition Speaker on Agriculture Senator Robert Montague chided Senator Norman Grant on his lack of research before making his comments, quote: “The task Force that he is seeking is already in place, the finished product factory that he is seeking is already in place”.

But this argument is charged with a tinge of politics and as such even those who seem to be fair in their judgement are taking political sides as can be noted in the comments of The Gavel, who slyly suggests that his comments are a rally for  Votes via the potential promise of jobs in the Agriculture Sector as noted in “Bamboo, Ballots And Benefits - Time To End Shallow Debates In Parliament”, Published Monday January 20, 2014, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Bamboo for export – From Raw Material to finished Product, Training Partnerships required

Despite this, the fact that we already have a fledgling Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) Craft Market, mainly aimed at tourists, makes this argument quite valid. Most of that Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) isn’t grown large-scale but is culled from areas where Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) just happens to be growing. This despite having joined the INBAR (International Network for Bamboo and Rattan) in September 2012, Jamaica of course becoming the 38^th country to do so as noted in “Bamboo Goes Commercial”, Published Sunday September 16, 2012 by Avia Collinder, Business Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

At US$15-billion and projected to reach some US$20 billion by 2015, this is a market that’s hard to ignore and was right under our noses. This is akin to the Animation launch at the KingstOOn Animation Conference and Film Festival whch was shown to be a industry with a global earning potential of US$100 billion that Jamaica can easily exploit as earlier reported in my blog article entitled “Inaugural KingstOOn Animation Competition a boost to local Animation Industry - State Minister Julian Robinson give Graphic Artists the chance to Feel this Moment Pitbull and Christina Aguilera Style”.

Despite the presence of a Bureau of Standard's Bamboo and Indigenous Materials Advisory Council, it's basically been dead, making it pointless to even say we had one. After all, if it's present, why then the need for Senator Norman Grant to bring the issue to the fore? 

Senator Norman Grant is proposing among many thing in his re-invigoration of the Bamboo and Indigenous Materials Advisory Council:

1.      Developement of a pilot Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) finished product factory

2.      Manufacture of Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) products i.e. furniture in an industrial Free zone

3.      Launch of a major education and training campaign outlining the characteristics and possible uses of Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris)

4.      NEPA (National Environment and Planning Agency) to redefine Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris)'s classification as an invasive species to that of a cash crop

His arguements drew up on a slew of departments in the Ministry of Agriculture, effectively suggesting their roles in his Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) Revival, quote: “I am also making a call that the Forestry Department give greater focus to the development of the bamboo Industry”.

Despite his obvious lack of research, his youthful enthusiasm, very reminiscent of a younger Minister of Technology Phillip Paulwell, won the charms of Senator Angela Brown Burke, who then chimed in with her US$2 dollars on the subject, pricing Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) with like value, quote: “One bamboo pole could be sold for US$2…but when we can go further up the value chain and look at floorboards that are made from that single pole we are now talking of US$30. So, we have to begin to understand the potential that exists and not look at just growing bamboo but going all the way up the value chain”.

Something that Senator Norman Grant should have known, as the BSJ (Bureau of Standard Jamaica) had been touting the benefits of a Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) Industry since 2013, even suggesting it as source of making Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris)  Charcoal as noted in “BSJ Touts Bamboo As Energy Source”, Published Wednesday October 24, 2012, by Avia Collinder, Business Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner.

But this use of Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris)  seems a bit unfair, as it’s seen as being merely an invasive species and is thus being marketed as merely only being good enough to make Charcoal, which went into production in February of 2013 as noted in “Bamboo Charcoal Goes On Sale”, Published Wednesday February 27, 2013, by Avia Collinder, Business Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner  when an entire Industry awaits for products made from Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris)!

If anything, Senator Norman Grant may have been voicing the concerns of the President of the Jamaica Wood Products and Furniture Association, Mortimer McPherson, as it relates to the potential to make high-quality export ready furniture from Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) as noted in his column “Bamboo: Jamaica's 'Leapfrog' To Prosperity”, Published Wednesday October 30, 2013, Mortimer McPherson, Guest Columnist, The Jamaica Gleaner. Heck, it can even make a complete House, based on this rather dated article from 2001 entitled “Bamboo houses to be growing trend”, published 28 February 2001, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Jamaica currently has over 67,000 hectares of Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris). Of this, 99% is Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris), a specific species, very easily recognized. More disease resistant species can be developed that faster growing and fit for making furniture.

Thus as was the case with Cassava for use by Red Stripe to replace Hops and HMCS (High Maltose Corn Syrup) in Red Stripe Beer Production as reported in my blog article entitled “Red Stripe and Agro-Investment Corporation signs lease Agreement on 36 acres of Land - Farmers benefit from Cassava’s Day in the Sun as we catch up with Africa's by September 2014”, Bamboo (bambusa vulgaris) needs to be grown on a larger scale and a more sustainable basis by Jamaican farmers to take advantage of the global Bamboo Industry.