With demand for plywood growing by 10% every year according to urbanisation and India embarking on formidable net-zero targets, a prime business government has referred to as for an pressing want to enhance agroforestry cowl in India to tackle these calls for.
“Today, India’s forest cover is about 25% and out of this 16% is natural forest and the rest 9% is plantation. The forest cover in India has increased from 21% to 25%. So, 4% has been contributed by agroforestry [in recent years] and this is basically supported by the plywood industry,” mentioned Sajjan Bhajanka, chairman, Century Plyboards India Ltd.
He mentioned numerous state governments had been making an attempt to increase agroforestry because it contributed to the surroundings, helped in decreasing carbon footprint, and prompted rainfall. “But the impact has been very less due to several factors,” he added.
“And whatever growth has come in India is basically on commercial parameters and commercial compulsions because people are getting better yields,” he mentioned.
“In a PPT presentation I had submitted to the Prime Minister, I suggested that we have about 14 to 15 million hectares of arable land in the country. So, if 5% of that land would come under plantation, India’s forest cover would increase from 25% to 30% of the entire surface area,” he mentioned, including a shift in coverage might usher in transformational modifications.
He mentioned this may convey the nation nearer to the nationwide goal of 33%.
He mentioned the elevated forest cowl would lead to about 190 million cubic metres of further agroforestry. “So, if we start doing it in the next 10 years, we can gradually increase the carrying capacity and then our domestic market will grow,” Mr. Bhajanka added.
