Bamboo generates wealth for villagers in SW China's Yunnan

A conference on the high-quality development of the Qiong bamboo industry was held in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on April 11, 2026.

Experts, scholars, and industry insiders from China's bamboo industry gathered in the hometown of Qiong bamboo to discuss the industry's development and explore strategies for boosting local prosperity and improving livelihoods.

Photo shows a bamboo forest in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Tang Yingping)

Daguan county was once classified as a national-level impoverished area. To provide local villagers with a reliable income, the county has tapped into its unique bamboo resources, developing the bamboo industry as a key driver of its economy.

Currently, the Qiong bamboo planting area in the county consists of 1.02 million mu (68,000 hectares), making up over 70 percent of the world's total. In 2025, the comprehensive output value of the bamboo industry in the county exceeded 3.1 billion yuan (about $455 million), benefiting 190,000 local villagers.

Photo shows Qiong bamboo shoots in a bamboo forest in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Tang Yingping)

Since 1989, Southwest Forestry University has been offering targeted support to Daguan. Over the past 37 years, a technical team of over 80 members, led by professor Dong Wenyuan, has been deeply involved in the mountainous areas. They have tackled key challenges, including the selection of high-quality bamboo varieties, seedling cultivation, and the transformation of inefficient forests, acquiring more than 50 patents.

With the help of these innovations, the survival rate of newly planted forests has risen from below 40 percent to an impressive 98 percent, and bamboo shoot yields per mu have surged from under 50 kilograms to over 450 kilograms.

A man collects bamboo shoots in a bamboo forest in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Tang Yingping)

During a special report session at the conference, 10 experts shared insights on topics such as bamboo processing, carbon sequestration in bamboo forests, the integration of cultural tourism, and using bamboo as a plastic alternative.

Photo shows freshly harvested bamboo shoots in Daguan county, Zhaotong city, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo/Tang Yingping)