The Forest Department in Haryana has granted for proceedings to issue new licences for plywood, veneer, blockboards and door making units. In their Local Authority Committee (LAC) meeting held on July 25, 2017 the department has decided to start process to issue licence. In the meeting 1600 new licences were identified. The forest department has received over 1918 applications. The department’s PCCF PP Bhoj Vaid said that during the Local Authority Committee (LAC) meeting the department has decided to start process to issue licence. Those applications were left behind whose papers did not match with the norms specified and payments. Issuing of new licences for plywood industries has opened the road ahead to start new plywood units in the region after one and half decade.
The state-level committee of the wood-based industry has approved 814 applications from Yamunanagar district for grant of licences to set up industrial units. The committee issued a letter of offer to successful applicants, giving them 45 days to deposit the required fee. After depositing the fee, they will be allowed to establish units. The committee had invited online applications for licences to set up and operate wood-based industrial units from June 10 to July 9.
The Forest department has issued the list of successful applicants and selected new licensees have to deposit their licence fee for final issuance of licence formally. In a survey done by the government in September 2016, it is observed that wood supply was 10 percent higher compared to last year. The President of The Haryana Poplar Safeda Growers Sangharsh Samiti, Mr Satpal Kaushik said that by establishing new plywood industries in the region, the very low prices of timber will stablise and hence Poplar and Safeda growers will be benefited.
The Haryana Poplar Safeda Growers Sangharsh Samiti had been struggling since long to convince the government for taking measures to prevent the falling prices of plantation wood. The prices of poplar have come down by 200 percent during last two years thus forcing farmers to uproot poplar plants and stop plantation. In consequence, Haryana Chief Minister, Mr M.L Khattar has also asked officers of the forest department to issue licences to set up new plywood units in the state, in November last year.
It is reported that a total of 1157 plywood, board, peeling factories and saw mills are functional in Yamuna Nagar district at present. After issuing new licences, the plywood manufacturing activity in the state is expected to grow by double and relatively the demand of Poplar and Safeda timber will also grow. A detailed report on the scenario after issuance of new licenses was published in January 2017 issue of the Ply reporter. It was mentioned that prices of timber will rise sharply thus pushing plywood prices by 20 percent by year 2018.