Bamboo: a profitable option being implemented in Brazil.

Bamboo is a widely spread plant in Eastern and Asian countries, where it is used as a sustainable option in construction, fuel, and energy production.

In Brazil, bamboo is still undervalued as a raw material, being usually commercialized in the form of baskets, fishing rods, flutes, decorative objects, among others. In general, bamboo is used in the production of handicrafts, on a small scale and with little added value.

To change the population's perception of bamboo, the Federal Government has been encouraging new research on bamboo throughout Brazil. The goal is to establish regional bamboo research centers, focusing on its production chain.

Another contribution was the Bilateral Bamboo Technologies Agreement signed with the Chinese government in 2011. In addition, the government approved Law 12.484, which encourages bamboo planting, benefiting producers with financing and technical assistance.

In order to achieve large-scale bamboo production, mastering the bamboo cloning technique is necessary. The advantage of using this technique is that it allows the production of uniform seedlings in large quantities, requiring less raw material, labor, and time.

By using cloning in bamboo seedlings, it is possible to achieve industrial-scale production, with the same cost as eucalyptus and pine seedlings. The cloning of bamboo species is being developed by universities in Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Paraná, and Goiás, and by Embrapa in Brasília.

It is believed that bamboo cloning technology will attract the interest of many producers. Considering the economic advantages that bamboo can offer, it is expected that bamboo will soon occupy a prominent place in Brazilian forestry.