In this #4 episode of the ThinkBamboo Podcast, Hans Friedrich, a truly a global authority on bamboo shares with us his insights about the advances with a project of developing a European bamboo program. A 1000 Hectares bamboo plantation in Portugal with BambooLogic and overall the potential of bamboo as a regenerative crop. Discover why bamboo is the key to a greener future, also , for Europe.
About Our Guest – Dr. Hans Friederich
He is a global ambassador for the World Bamboo Organization, and a partner and senior advisor of BambooLogic in the Netherlands. Dr. Friederich has served as the Head of the Secretariat of the INBAR and has worked in several countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Kenya, and Botswana. Hans is also a member of the Expert Panel of the Life Terra Foundation, which manages a large European tree planting program. He is a member of the Steering Committee of the ArtEZ University of the Arts research project “Bamboo Europe”. When he left INBAR in 2019 he was asked if interested to join BambooLogic, a Dutch company that saw his potential and asked him to help start a European bamboo program. With his knowledge and expertise, he was the perfect fit for the job. Today Hans will share with us his vision of the future of bamboo in Europe and how we can develop the industry for this sustainable resource.
The Billion Dollar Bamboo Industry in China
During his time at INBAR, he realized that most of the bamboo produced in Asia, especially China, is sold internationally in Europe and the United States. Even though bamboo is not a native plant in Europe, there is a great demand for bamboo products there, which makes it an attractive market.
In the world of bamboo, China dominates both the domestic and international markets. According to Hans Friederich, the former director-general of the INBAR, the internal industry for bamboo in China was valued at a staggering 60 billion US Dollars, and that was five years ago! It’s likely even higher today. But it’s not just within China’s borders that bamboo is in high demand. The international trade in bamboo is also significant, and the majority of it comes from Asia, with China leading the way. It’s clear that when it comes to bamboo, China is a force to be reckoned with.
