Among more than 1,200 bamboo species existing on the planet, we have selected the two species whose characteristics guarantee the best performance for our plantations. Albania is the ultimate country for growing one of these valuable bamboo species. Phylostachys Pubescens withstands temperatures down to -25 ° C and will be planted together with Dendrocalamos Asper only in plantations on the coastal strips where the minimum winter temperatures do not fall below zero. Dendrocalamos Asper is in fact a tropical climate plant with an even higher growth rate than Only Moso bamboo, and its sprouts production is superior and of excellent quality.

Just after planting the crops, irrigation is necessary, especially during periods of drought (emergency irrigations). Even when the plantation has grown to full maturity, we schedule elective organic fertilizing sessions to increase the return per hectare. In fact our approach is to constantly irrigate and fertilize the plantation so to enhance the production. This will result in a higher return per hectare.

After three or four years from planting, the first sprouts crop for food industry are ready for harvest, whereas the forest and canes reach maturity after five or six years. Bamboo trees produce new sprouts and rips stems every year (for 80-100 years from plantation): the buds born in spring become stems in summer or autumn. Periodically we carry out fertilizing and irrigation sessions on the plantation to reach high-intensive production.

So far there are not any known bacteria that can damage bamboo. Bamboo is a natural antibacterial and antifungal plant that keeps pests and bacteria away. Thanks to this characteristic, bamboo is highly valued by textile industry and in the future it could replace cotton. Bamboo fiber is hollow and gives the fabric an excellent breathability and insulation. It is also hypoallergenic and anti U.V.

Spring and Autumn are the best seasons for planting. The warm season allows the development of the bamboo root system.

For our Albanian plantations we opted for a density of 1,200 plants per hectare; in this way, we anticipate the bamboo full productivity by a few years.

Vivi Bambù is Vivai OnlyMoso's agent and all our plantations are OnlyMoso® quality certified. Thanks to an agreement, Bambù Italia Spa Consortium guarantees to all OnlyMoso® certifed bamboo producers the reaping of the harvest (sprouts and canes) at the best market price. Vivi Bambù manages the plantations, assisting with the growth and care of the plantations through its specialist consultants. Additionally, Consorzio Bambù Italia promotes OnlyMoso® certified bamboo plantations with in various commercial supply chains ( wood, paper, food, energy, textiles, construction, etc.) in Italy, Albania and abroad. It also enters into commercial agreements for the sale of products originating from OnlyMoso® plantations; it carries out educational, scientific and research programs to benefit those who decide to engage with bamboo farming for industrial and commercial purposes; it enters into agreements with financial institutions to support the realization of OnlyMoso® certified giant bamboo plantations; and it creates protocols for the correct management of OnyMoso® certified plantations.

The C.B.I. (Consorzio Bambù Italia - Italian Bamboo Consortium) aims at allocating the materials in the most lucrative supply chains and obtaining the best price. Bamboo has over 1,500 commercial uses: timber for furniture, buildings and objects (parquet flooring, beams, cutting boards), textiles, paper, biomass, cosmetics. In addition, the sprouts are destined to the food industry. Being an extremely hard, resistant and aesthetically beautiful wood, one of the most profitable supply chains is represented by manufacturers of panels for furniture, floors (boards, parquet), and wooden articles for interior and exterior design. Furthermore bamboo is used by pulp and paper manufacturers and in the textile industry. The energy sector also uses bamboo for the production of fuels and biomass. As for the sprouts, the most profitable industry is the fresh market (direct sale to supermarkets and shops), followed by the canned and frozen food chains. The first plantations promoted and managed by Vivi Bambù aim at maximizing the production of the sprout for the food industry. It is our strong belief that this product, for which we provide a certification of quality and origin, thanks to its incredible health and nutritional qualities, will be welcomed by the whole European market. Once we become able to count on an extended production of bamboo as raw material, new manufacturers (which are currently using other types of wood for their productions) will join the existing industries. The raw material now in use will be replaced by bamboo to create new products for the market. The C.B.I. is already in contact with potential buyers, but this specific brokerage activity between bamboo producers and various supply chains will get more intense in 3-4 years when we will have acquired more accurate data on the total production capacity of plantations. Vivi Bambù intends to open a product processing plant that, as agreed with the C.B.I., could also sell finished products directly to consumers and through large-scale distribution instead of selling to industry.

The production collection is contractually guaranteed in perpetuity by the Bamboo Consortium Italy.

Currently the giant bamboo shoots come from China. The market price for suppling large volumes is € 5 per kg, excluding shipping and customs clearance costs, with no quality or origin certifications. As of today the sprouts available on our markets have a price higher than € 10 per kg. In calculating our costs and revenues forecast, we have adopted for a conservative approach and opted for the use of the minimum reference price indicated by the C.B.I., that is 2 € per kg. The estimated average purchase price is € 12 per barrel. Prices may vary depending on the quality and size of the production (for example, a stem with a height of 20 meters and a diameter of 15 cm will be paid more than one with a height of 15 meters and a diameter of 10 cm; a 3 cm diameter sprout will be quoted at a lower price than one with a diameter that is bigger than 5 cm). For these reasons Vivi Bambù will strictly adheres to the technical standard suggested by the CBI and will employ biodynamic agricultural techniques in the plantations so to push their development to their full potential.