Xikou Bamboo Shoots and Bamboos

Xikou Bamboo Shoots and Bamboos

　　Xikou Town in Zhejiang Province has a long history and is regarded as one of the ancient towns in the province. Blessed with a favorable geographical setting, it features vast bamboo forests and picturesque scenery of clear mountains and waters, making it highly suitable for the cultivation and growth of bamboo shoots. As early as the 1970s, bamboo handicrafts from the area were showcased at trade fairs and exported to earn foreign currency. The town benefits from convenient transportation and notable regional advantages. The newly planned industrial zone has taken initial shape. Known as the "Pearl of the Bamboo Region," Xikou Town is located in the center of the Longnan Mountainous Area, 23 kilometers from the county seat, covering an area of 40.2 square kilometers. It governs 11 administrative villages, 1 residents' committee, and has a total population of 11,620. Since ancient times, it has served as a distribution hub for bamboo, timber, firewood, charcoal, and handmade paper produced in the Longnan and northern Suichang mountainous areas, as well as for daily necessities. Today, it has become the political, economic, and cultural center of Longnan. The area has a long history of bamboo and timber craftsmanship, with a number of skilled artisans and folk artists.

　　The town’s total industrial and agricultural output value reached 199 million yuan, of which the industrial output value was 179 million yuan. There are 240 industrial enterprises, and a range of products has begun to take shape, including bamboo plywood, boiled bamboo shoots, chemicals, plastics, electricity, casting, building materials, educational instruments, refined tea, and bamboo and wood products. Products such as boiled bamboo shoots and bamboo brooms are exported to Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Notable enterprises in the town include the Longyou Pressboard Factory under the Xinghuo General Corporation and the Xinxing Industrial Company, both of which have achieved a certain scale and recognition. In 1993, Xikou Town was designated as a provincial science and technology demonstration township.

　　Xikou Town actively encourages existing enterprises to carry out technological upgrades to enhance product quality and expand production capacity. For example, Tianshi Food Co., Ltd. was originally a bamboo shoot processing company limited by seasonal production, resulting in underutilized factory space. In 2003, leveraging Xikou’s industrial strengths, the company invested over 6 million yuan to launch a new bamboo flooring production line. After two years of technical upgrades, the bamboo flooring production reached an output value of 12 million yuan and a profit of 1.4 million yuan last year. At the same time, the company also started producing travel tents, achieving annual self-operated exports of 1 million US dollars. While effectively utilizing idle assets, the company extended its industrial chain, boosting vitality and competitiveness.

　　With the emergence of industrial agglomeration effects in the bamboo and wood processing park, the number of bamboo and shoots enterprises in Xikou has grown to 98. From January to July last year, the town’s bamboo and shoots processing enterprises achieved an output value of 168 million yuan, a 24.8% increase compared to the same period last year. The total industrial output value of Xikou expanded from 220 million yuan in 2002 to 340 million yuan in 2004, and is expected to surpass 450 million yuan last year, achieving a doubling in just three years.