A Closer Look at Bamboo

Bamboo is starting to turn heads as an alternative crop for farmers looking to rebound from the hit to citrus. Michael Rogers, director of UF’s Citrus Research and Education Center, says clumping bamboo grows well on existing grove land and is already showing strong demand. People eat the shoots in Asian cuisine, and the poles can be used for construction, furniture and textiles.

The global bamboo market is valued at nearly $67 billion, and farmers could help meet demand closer to home. With some facilities already set up in Florida to handle edible shoots and those for bamboo poles in the works, the pieces are starting to come together. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is researching bamboo production and will make new information available after publishing their work and developing updated guidelines on planting density, fertilization, and irrigation.

There are still challenges, like managing weeds and labor needs, but once established, bamboo can provide an annual harvest and relatively few pest problems thus far. For growers wanting to diversify, it may be worth a closer look.