Wholesale Bamboo Poles For Export

Guadua Bamboo exports bamboo poles in bulk to Europe and the US. Thanks to the CAFTA Free Trade Agreement, American bamboo retailers or manufacturers no longer have to turn to Asian sources. Not only is importing bamboo from Central America tax free, advantages such as reduced shipping time and cost add to significant overall savings.

Compared to the Moso Bamboo from Asia, Guadua angustifolia also stands out for it's extraordinary physical and structural properties.

Guadua Bamboo Poles Certified Quality (Grade A)

Guadua Bamboo is a European owned and operated bamboo supplier with offices in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica. We produce wholesale bamboo poles for construction, furniture and industrial processing.

In order to produce and export Grade A quality poles, a strict policy has to be maintained. Selecting, harvesting, curing, drying and storing the bamboo, all play a crucial role.

bamboo poles

USA Importation and Entry Requirements for Bamboo

319.40-5 (a) Bamboo timber:

Bamboo timber consisting of whole culms or canes may be imported into Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands subject to inspection and other requirements of 319.40-9. Bamboo timber consisting of whole culms or canes that are completely dry as evidenced by lack of moisture in node tissue may be imported into any part of the United States subject to inspection and other requirements of 319.40-9.

More information at GPO Access

Special permits from the Agricultural Ministry in Nicaragua and CETREX (office for export trade control) are also required and provided by Guadua Bamboo S.A.

Selection Process of the Bamboo

Selecting bamboo culms for harvest is a very important part of proper bamboo plantation management and will influence to a large extent the future durability and quality of the bamboo poles. Knowing which bamboo culms to cut will contribute to bamboos resistance against insects attacks, fungus and microorganisms.

age of bamboo

Proper selection of bamboo culms for harvest is based on:

Age of the bamboo stems
Color of the bamboo stems
The presence lichens and mosses
Absence of imperfections (cracks, twists, etc.)

Read more about: Selecting Bamboo for Harvest

Harvesting Bamboo

Timing plays a crucial role when harvesting bamboo. As a matter of fact, knowing when and how to harvest bamboo has been one of the most important and traditional bamboo preservation methods in areas with smaller resources.

Bamboo Harvest in Nicaragua

Some say harvesting bamboo according to the right season or moon phase is hocus-pocus, but it is NOT! Studies show that when bamboo is not harvested correctly (and left untreated) it will deteriorate much faster and is more attractive to borers. Therefore, good harvesting practices will enhance the resistance of the bamboo culms and will retain their strength.

Curing Bamboo

Immediately after harvesting on our plantations in Nicaragua, a mixture of water and non-toxic chemicals, such as borax and boric acid are introduced to the bamboo.

Boron Treatment

With the soaking / diffusion treatment, round bamboo, splits and slivers are treated by keeping them submerged in large tanks containing a water-borne preservative solution for 5 days. The preservative moves into the bamboo due to concentration gradient and the cell sap moves out due to osmotic pressure.

The method of diffusion uses salts to increase fixation and filling the lacuna of the culm with solution. The soaking method is ideal when bamboo poles are used for construction or further industrial processing. This treatment allows the bamboo poles to dry faster (compared to the Boucherie Method) but requires perforation of the internodes.

Bamboo preservation is necessary to replace the natural sugar content in the bamboo walls with salts, which makes the bamboo un-attractive to insects.

Drying Bamboo

Drying bamboo requires more time than wood of similar density. This because bamboo possess hygroscopic materials (compound that easily absorbs moisture) that may contain 100-150% moisture content, depending on the felling season, area of growth and species.

Drying Bamboo Poles Drying Bamboo

When bamboo dries it contracts and shrinks. This shrinkage starts from the moment the bamboo is cut, and can reduce the diameter of the bamboo pole with 10% to 16%, and its wall thickness with 15% to 17%.

Fumigation

Before shipping, all bamboo is fumigated inside the closed container. Fumigation and all the required exportation documents are included in the wholesale bamboo price per meter.

Fumigating Bamboo before Shipping