Gujarat based Plywood and Panel Industry has been dependent on either imported timber or core veneer sourced from Uttar Pradesh. But the emerging scenario is indicating a shift from the pattern to local indigenous timber specie that is ‘Nilgiri’ a kind of Eucalyptus wood. The Plywood and Particle Board Industry in Gujarat are receiving good quantity of Nilgiri timber grown up by local farmers as agro forestry initiatives.
According to producers of Particle Boards situated in Morbi, Gandhidham and Rajkot, the manufacturing plants are receiving huge quantity of Nilgiri timber for their units regularly. The acceptance among industrialist and its benefits to farmers is making Nilgiri as an affordable and sustainable raw material in coming future. Plywood units located in Surat, Gandhidham and Ahmedabad too are using Nilgiri and readily replacing eucalyptus coming from UP and Punjab regions.
Mr. Kanti Patel from Rangoli Laminates, Morbi says that arrival of sufficient quantity of Nilgiri Wood grown locally at affordable prices has become a big relief and giving the industries great confidence. So far, the total dependency on imported timber based sawdust and Peeling waste and flakes has been the main factor that always restricted the Gujrat based plants to plan bigger set up. The Ply Reporter field reports suggest that entire Particle boards manufacturers located in Kuchch and Saurashtra region are happy with the pricing and availability of Nilgiri as its raw materials.
According to plywood manufacturers in Kandla and Bachau region, the arrival of nilgiri has been very supportive in Covid times as restrictions on long distance road transport have been inconsistent. Mr. Ramesh Chirania, GSM Industries, Gandhidham says that the quality of timber is good and he has shifted his 30 % Core Veneer requirement to Nilgiri wood. The density of timber is also good enough at 0.5 around.
The yield from Nilgiri wood is less because Industry is receiving 12 inches logs but it is economic and viable with modern peeling machines. Compared with Eucalyptus Core Veneer sourced from Uttar Pradesh, Nilgiri Core veneer produced in Gujarat is Cheaper. Mr. Anup Agarwal from Malchand Group, Surat says that he has been receiving good quantity of Nilgiri wood and he is satisfied with the quality of finished goods and it’s viable. It is also noted that a two dozens of Peeling lines have been installed in these area seeing the better procurement of Nilgiri wood in Gujarat.