The world market for bamboo chopsticks was estimated at USD300 million in 2006¹. While the world market for chopsticks is estimated for USD400 millions². China is the biggest chopsticks producer and China is also the biggest consumer of chopsticks in the world. According to Chinese statistics in 2011, the country’s manufacturers produce 60 to 80 billion sets of chopsticks each year. Forty percent of production is used for domestic market and 60% are exported.

According to Comtrade’s statistics, China’s export of bamboo chopsticks and sticks reached USD105 million in 2008 (USD 75.5 million for chopsticks and USD29.5 million for other stick products). The major importers of Chinese chopsticks are Japan and South Korea. Japan stands in the second place in consuming chopsticks. Each year, the Japanese use 23 to 25 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks; approximately 200 pairs for each person. The usage is so high that the Japanese government added a wooden chopsticks tax. In response, importers in Japan have started buying bamboo chopsticks, a more sustainable material.Other significant consumers of chopsticks in the world are Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos PDR.Reliable data on other stick products could not be identified, but bamboo toothpicks, incense sticks and bbqskewers are ubiquitous in market places in Asia as well as western markets. Bamboo mats and curtains are very popular in Asia, and gaining market interest in Western markets. In Cambodia disposable bamboo chopsticks are very common in restaurants. At present disposable bamboo chopsticks are imported from Vietnam and China. The Cambodian demand for these types of chopsticks is estimated to be severalthousand tons/year. The GIZ-Regional Economic Development Program (RED) is currently undertaking a chopstick market study for the domestic Cambodian market.