New Bamboo Haat Opens in Bhubaneswar as Odisha Pushes Bamboo-Based Livelihoods

Bhubaneswar: Bamboo artisans, entrepreneurs and self-help groups in Odisha now have a dedicated marketplace to showcase and sell their products, with a new Bamboo Haat inaugurated at Anandaban in Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar, on World Bamboo Day 2026.

Developed under the Odisha Forestry Sector Development Project (OFSDP), the Bamboo Haat is intended to bring bamboo-based products closer to consumers while creating greater market access for those engaged in cultivation, processing, handicrafts and value-added products.

The facility was inaugurated during a programme organised by the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA), attended by Forest, Environment and Climate Change and Labour and Employees’ State Insurance Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia as chief guest.

Addressing the gathering, Singkhuntia highlighted bamboo’s potential beyond traditional handicrafts, pointing to its growing applications in construction, furniture, packaging, lifestyle products and food. He said the renewable and fast-growing resource could generate rural employment and support the transition towards a green and circular economy.

The World Bamboo Day programme also showcased OBDA’s work through a short documentary covering bamboo cultivation, processing, value addition, skill development and employment generation. The agency also presented its ongoing activities and plans for the coming year.

Innovation was a key part of this year’s celebrations, with OBDA organising the Bamboo Product Innovation Competition 2026 at Anandaban on September 17 and 18. Participants from Odisha, Kerala, Assam and Delhi presented new bamboo products, designs and ideas, highlighting the scope for expanding the use of bamboo in contemporary products and markets.

The winners of the competition were felicitated during the World Bamboo Day programme.

Odisha’s Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Dr K. Murugesan attended as guest of honour. Sanjeev Karpe, Director of KONBAC, and OBDA State Mission Director Karthik V. were also present.

Bamboo farmers, artisans, self-help groups, entrepreneurs, designers, NGOs, researchers, government officials and business representatives participated in the programme, bringing together different stakeholders involved in Odisha’s bamboo sector.