WOOD IMPORTS: VARIETY IS THE SPICE

Demand from housing, furniture, hospitality and handicraft remains strong, making India a potential market for imported wood products. Limited domestic supplies is driving demand for newer species of imported wood, but exporters should be prepared to start small and be patient

- RAKESH ORUGANTI

India is not only a major producer of tropical logs in the world, but also one of the largest consumers of wood products. Growing middle class is more interested in luxury goods such as imported furniture. Consumers shopping online are well aware of furniture styles available globally such as kitchen cabinets, flooring, doors, bedroom and living room, kitchen furniture, and window frames. The penetration of e-commerce in rural areas is further fuelling demand for imported furniture. Over the next decade, India is expected to become the world’s next substantial wood fiber import market (second only to China). India is likely to remain, primarily, a log import market. Demand for softwood log imports is forecast to triple by 2021 and demand for teak log imports will more than double.

Meagre growth of forest and tree cover over a period of time and heavy demand are key factors driving the country’s appetite to import large quantities of wood products.

Recorded Forest Area/ Green Wash (RFA/GW) in the tribal districts decreased by 741 sq km of forest cover. Total forest cover in the North Eastern region is 1,70,541 sq km, which is 65.1 per cent of its geographical area. The current assessment shows a decrease of forest cover to the extent of 765 sq km (0.5 per cent) in the region. Except Assam and Tripura, all the states in the region show decrease in forest cover.

The country has recorded a rise in Mangrove cover by 54 sq km (1.1 per cent) as compared to the previous assessment. The total growing stock of wood in the country is estimated 5,915.76 million cum. The average growing stock per hectare in forest has been estimated as 55.69 cum.