Difficulties in harvesting and transportation, high prices, lack of standards—an investigation into the sluggish domestic sales of some "bamboo instead of plastic" products

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Bamboo regenerates quickly, absorbs carbon effectively, and is biodegradable, making it a good alternative to reduce plastic use from the source. In 2022, China and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization jointly launched the “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” initiative. Subsequently, relevant national departments introduced a three-year action plan to accelerate the development of “Replace Plastic with Bamboo.” China’s technological innovation in this area continues to advance, and industry scale is rapidly growing. However, recent investigations by reporters show that due to difficulties in harvesting and transportation, high prices, and lack of standards, some “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products are not selling well domestically and rely heavily on overseas markets.

Industry insiders, grassroots officials, and experts suggest maintaining policy continuity after the three-year plan expires, and providing targeted support in areas such as base construction, standard improvement, and market promotion. This will fully leverage China’s bamboo resources and economic ecological benefits.

Most products are exported to Europe, America, and the Middle East

From small items like buttons, disposable tableware, hotel supplies, to large-scale products like bamboo-wrapped composite pipes, bamboo interior car decorations, and bamboo fiber industrial packaging—under the promotion of the “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” initiative and related policies, Chinese companies and research institutions have developed numerous substitute products in recent years, covering over ten categories and tens of thousands of varieties in daily life, construction, transportation, and industrial production.

Wang Ge, a second-level researcher at the International Bamboo and Rattan Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, states that China is the world’s largest bamboo resource country. Bamboo matures in 3 to 5 years, has strong toughness and plasticity, and its annual carbon sequestration in bamboo forests is 1.33 times that of tropical mountain rainforests. “Replacing plastic with bamboo” will further highlight the economic and ecological value of the bamboo industry.

Recent data from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration show that China currently has nearly 8 million hectares of bamboo forest, an annual bamboo timber production of 150 million tons, over 10,000 bamboo processing enterprises, and employment in the entire industry chain exceeding 29 million. Nearly 10 counties and cities nationwide have an annual bamboo industry output value exceeding 10 billion yuan, and by 2025, the annual output value of the bamboo industry is expected to surpass 520 billion yuan.

Despite rapid industry growth, some interviewed companies told reporters that although they have developed new “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products, they face difficulties in the domestic market. Some products can only be sold overseas. Chongqing Zhongxian Ruizhu Plant Fiber Products Co., Ltd. develops bamboo fiber tableware such as lunch boxes, spoons, and forks that are heat-resistant and biodegradable. Wang Jianzhong, the person in charge, says, “The company’s annual production of bamboo fiber tableware is nearly 500 million pieces, mostly exported to Europe, America, and the Middle East, with weak domestic sales.” Yin Mingliang, chairman of Anhui Hongye Group, states that “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products are less used domestically and are more recognized and accepted overseas. For example, the main application scenarios like the catering industry in China are not sufficiently guided, and plastic forks are still mainly used in instant noodle cups.

The difficulty in domestic sales and reliance on foreign trade restrict the promotion and further expansion of the “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” industry. Yumu Mquan, general manager of Guizhou Xingchangmei Bamboo Industry Development Co., Ltd., which mainly produces eco-friendly bamboo charcoal and bamboo medical cotton swabs, says that their products depend heavily on the European and American markets, and are greatly affected by external factors like tariffs, leading to market instability. “Originally, we designed more than ten production lines, but now only one is operational.” Yuan Jianbo, assistant to the chairman of Guizhou Chenzhu Shengye New Material Technology Co., Ltd., states that their bamboo-based biodegradable agricultural film faces difficulties in market promotion outside some government cooperation projects.

Cost and standard issues remain challenging

A leader of a bamboo processing company told reporters, “Most bamboo forests are in mountainous areas, relying mainly on manual harvesting. Transporting a single bamboo pole down the mountain costs about 10 yuan, and the cost of transporting one ton of raw material to the factory is around 500 yuan, which raises the company’s costs at the source.” This is due to the high proportion of inefficient bamboo forests in some production areas, making raw material collection and transportation difficult. Grassroots forestry officials from Chongqing Zhongxian and Chizhou in Anhui say that rural labor is increasingly scarce, mostly elderly people. Many bamboo forests are on steep, fragmented terrain, and infrastructure like roads and water pools is inadequate, leading to extensive management, low mechanization, and organizational levels in harvesting. For example, only 8,000 of 179,000 acres of bamboo shoots and bamboo forests are under centralized management, with nearly 100,000 acres in a primitive growth state.

Because of the large investment in raw material collection and technological R&D, some “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products lack price competitiveness compared to ordinary plastics. Wang Jianzhong explains that bamboo fiber tableware costs about 20% more than regular plastic tableware, and domestic consumers prioritize price, resulting in low acceptance of higher-priced bamboo products. Yuan Jianbo adds that bamboo-based biodegradable agricultural film does not require post-use recycling and can prevent soil compaction, offering a higher overall cost-performance ratio. However, its price is 1.5 times that of ordinary agricultural film, and the short-term cost concerns hinder promotion.

“The main obstacle to promoting ‘Replace Plastic with Bamboo’ is current cost issues,” Wang Ge states. The plastic industry chain is complete and technologically mature, while bamboo products are still in the early stages of industry cultivation. Compared to traditional plastics, the variety and cost of bamboo products lack market competitiveness. Key technological areas such as high-value utilization of bamboo, functional improvements, and intelligent equipment still need ongoing research.

Furthermore, the standard system for “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products needs to keep pace. In recent years, some enterprises and departments have established standards for mature “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products. For example, Chizhou led the development of the “Bamboo Drinking Straw” international standard, promoting industry development. However, interviewed companies say that because there are many types of “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products, standard development lags behind, leading to a market with mixed quality bamboo products. Some companies add small amounts of bamboo powder or fiber to plastics and claim they are green, low-carbon products, which affects industry health.

Some companies and grassroots officials also note that “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” is in its early development stage and needs more promotion support. Currently, policies mainly advocate for the initiative, but lack substantial support in government procurement, publicity, scientific research funding, and financial incentives.

Calls for full industry chain support policies

Data shows that in 2024, China will produce about 62 million tons of waste plastics, with 19.5 million tons recycled, achieving a recycling rate of 31.5%. Interviewees believe that “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” can not only reduce plastic pollution but also promote industry development and increase income for bamboo farmers. They suggest formulating more precise support policies across the entire industry chain.

— Continue to introduce policies supporting “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” and encourage application. Wang Ge, Wang Jianzhong, and Yumu Mquan recommend that the “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” initiative and the three-year plan have effectively promoted the transformation and upgrading of China’s bamboo industry. They suggest continuing to release “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” action plans during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, clarifying medium- and long-term industry development goals, regularly publishing catalogs of mature and affordable “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products, and providing tax incentives, subsidies, and promotional efforts. This would encourage restaurants, hotels, government agencies, and enterprises to use these cataloged products. For example, Anji County in Zhejiang Province has set up special subsidy funds to promote the use of fully biodegradable bamboo bags and bamboo toiletries in markets, restaurants, and accommodations, effectively boosting local “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” efforts.

— Accelerate bamboo forest base construction to reduce enterprise costs. Grassroots forestry officials suggest that bamboo forests have clear ecological and income benefits. Expanding bamboo planting areas, establishing demonstration bases, reforming land rights, improving roads and water conservancy, and encouraging the use of bamboo harvesting equipment can solve transportation difficulties. Chongqing Zhongxian, through land rights reform, contracted bamboo forests to large households, improving local management, ensuring raw material supply, increasing bamboo shoot yields, and raising farmers’ incomes.

— Improve standards and strengthen technological R&D. Wang Jianzhong and Yumu Mquan recommend that enterprises, industry associations, and government departments increase collaboration to evaluate various “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products. For mature technologies, relevant standards should be expedited. Additionally, establishing special funds and research projects to promote industry-university-research integration, continuously develop new “Replace Plastic with Bamboo” products, smart harvesting, and processing equipment, and cultivate specialized, innovative small and medium-sized enterprises and demonstration parks. Building competitive industry bases is also advised. (Reporter: Zhou Kai, Li Qianyu, Jin Jian)

Source: Economic Information Daily