By Clint Thompson
Florida specialty crop growers are always searching for that next alternative crop. Bamboo could be it. Bamboo has great potential as an alternative crop in Florida, according to University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers.
The subject of extended discussion during last week’s Citrus & Specialty Crop Expo, bamboo was highlighted as a potential alternative crop by UF/IFAS specialists.
Mike Rogers, UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center Director and Professor of Entomology and Nematology, discussed bamboo and its viability in Florida. Its allure is mostly due to the plethora of uses it can be produced for.
Many Uses
“There is a big market for bamboo products, not only finished products but also raw products. We’re talking about bamboo shoots and poles. There’s a lot of uses for those here in Florida. For the poles we’re talking about things like timber as a replacement for pine trees. You’re cutting a crop every year versus every 20 years,” Rogers said.
“Paper, pulp, fiber, textiles, bioplastics, there’s so many uses. The issue is not, when you think about developing a new crop you want to make sure there’s demand or somebody that’s going to buy your product; we know there’s demand. There are people lined up that are wanting to buy the product. We just have to grow it and get it to the end user. That’s the biggest challenge right now.”
Rogers said processing facilities are already set up in Florida that are handling the edible fresh bamboo shoots. One processor is established to take the poles and develop lumber.
Rogers reported that the global bamboo market revenue for finished products was $67.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $102.4 billion in 2033. The North America market is expected to increase from $12 billion in 2023 to $17 billion in 2032.
“We think there’s a lot of potential here, and it’s untapped potential because there’s no other commercial bamboo market in the US right now,” Rogers said. “People are starting to see with the acreage we’ve got in Florida right now, they’re making plans and following what we’re doing, and if we’re able to produce enough of a crop, we’re going to see a lot more investment in new product development using bamboo here in Florida in the US.”