§1What this business is
The unit does three jobs: it slices green bamboo into thin strips, weaves the strips into mats, and presses layers of mats into bamboo mat board (BMB), a panel that can replace plywood in doors, partitions, roofing and furniture. Weaving and board making can be learnt with simple training, so it gives work to local weavers.
Capacity: 36,000 mats a year at ₹41 each (₹14.78 lakh) at full capacity.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone in a bamboo-growing area (North-East, central and southern forest belts) who can organise a group of weavers.
Who it is not for
Someone far from bamboo sources — transporting green bamboo eats the margin.
Advantages
- Bamboo grows fast and is a renewable wood substitute
- Gives work to many local weavers
- Good demand in villages and cities, as the profile notes
- Net surplus ₹4.62 lakh a year at full capacity on a ₹9.96 lakh project
Drawbacks
- Labour-heavy: wages ₹5.00 lakh a year
- Needs a steady supply of the right bamboo species
- Boards compete with cheap plywood and particle board
- Bamboo must be treated against borers and fungus
Skills you need
- Bamboo splitting and slicing
- Mat weaving
- Drying and hot pressing
- Managing a team of weavers
Why difficulty 3/5: Many workers and a raw-material chain to manage, though the machines are simple.
§3Market
Who buys
- Builders and carpenters (doors, partitions, panelling)
- Rural housing and shelter projects
- Furniture makers
How it sells
- Timber and plywood dealers
- Direct supply to contractors and government projects
Good to know
- The profile says the product has good demand in rural areas as well as cities.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Grass cutting machine | 1 | — |
| Bamboo splitting and slicing machines | 1 each | — |
| Tension and levelling machine | 1 | — |
| Dryer | 1 | — |
| Roller and hydraulic press | 1 each | — |
| Tools | 1 set | — |
| Equipment total in the profile | 1 set | ₹5,00,000 |
From: KVIC Project Profile — Production of Bamboo Mat Board Unit (PMEGP)
- Green bamboosliced into strips for weaving; raw material ₹5.00 lakh a year in the profile
- Adhesive for pressing the matsthe profile does not itemise it
From: KVIC Project Profile — Production of Bamboo Mat Board Unit (PMEGP)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- State Pollution Control Board consent (check your category)
- Forest transit pass for bamboo from forest areas (bamboo grown on private land is exempt since the 2017 Indian Forest Act amendment)
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
PMEGP fits (KVIC forest-based industry); MUDRA and CGTMSE cover a loan of this size.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: building shed 1,000 sq ft ₹2.00 lakh + equipment ₹5.00 lakh + working capital ₹2.96 lakh = ₹9.96 lakh. Land own.
Working capital: Working capital ₹2.96 lakh (₹2,95,696 per cycle). Raw material ₹5.00 lakh and labels/packing ₹0.10 lakh a year.
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
- HS codes are from the WCO HS 2022 list; confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Raw bamboo shortage or price rise
- Uneven board quality from hand-woven mats
- Pest attack on stored bamboo
- Weak demand if buyers do not know the product
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working bamboo mat board making unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Bamboo Mat Board Making?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.