Date Bambusetum - Bamboo Next LLP

Prashant Atmaram Date — Bamboo Enthusiast & Record‑Holder

• Born: Nashik, Maharashtra
• Background: Diploma in Information Technology (2012); agricultural roots led him to bamboo farming in 2017
• Record: Holds India Book of Records for largest collection of bamboo species—94 species displayed together (May 29, 2022)
• Collection growth:
  • Started in 2017; reached ~20 species by 2020, now houses 148 species overall
  • Sourced 21 species via Maharashtra Bamboo Board, 10 from Kerala Forest Research Institute, 33 from Wayanad’s Science & Technology Studies Centre
  • Acquired specimens from Karnataka, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Assam, and Nagaland
  • Invested ₹600,000+ in varietal procurement
• Farm: "Date Bambusetum" set on 5 acres of former grape land at Lakhalgaon, Nashik
• Impact & outreach:
  • Received visitors from farmers to scientists across multiple states
  • Showcases bamboo farming’s potential under the National Bamboo Mission subsidies
• Vision:
  • Founder of Bamboo Next LLP, aiming to lease 100 acres near Pune for commercial bamboo cultivation
  • Plans to build a treatment plant to extend bamboo’s lifespan (7–40 years) for construction-grade applications