According to the Business Association of Nagas (BAN), local firm Nagaland Bamboo Industry (NBI) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Energy Conversion Technology, USA, paving the way for the production of bamboo vinegar, bamboo tar, and bamboo charcoal in Nagaland. The MoU was signed on 18 October in Gurugram.
The proprietor of NBI, K Temjen Jamir, confirmed the news to Mokokchung Times. He said that the collaboration would start production after completing certain formalities. As per the deal, NBI will manufacture the products while the partner firm will provide the machinery as well as undertake the marketing.
The partnership leverages NBI’s raw materials with Energy Conversion Technology’s technology and market access.
“They have the technology and market access, and we have the raw materials. We have what they don’t have and they have what we don’t have,” Jamir said while describing their nature of operations. He said that it is like a joint venture, facilitated by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
NBI manufactures organic bamboo charcoal which was formally launched on 30 May of this year under the brand name ‘Tir Mijang’. The proprietor of NBI, K Temjen Jamir, is also the publisher and editor of Tir Yimyim, a vernacular newspaper daily.
NBI expects to reap the benefits of economies of scale as volume of production will be enhanced, bringing down the cost of production. It was disclosed that the venture aims to cover the whole state of Nagaland.
NBI production unit is currently based in Akhoya village under Mokokchung district which boasts an abundance of bamboo resources.