Commercial Eucalyptus and Poplar Plantations -- New Approaches in Eastern UP
Abstract
The commercialization of Eucalyptus and Poplar plantations in western Uttar Pradesh attracted other parts of central and eastern UP in the past few years. In Eastern UP, plantation practices vary according to different agro-climatic conditions, land capability and socio-economic status of farmers. The status and pattern of these commercial practices across eastern region of UP reflect that traditional agriculture / farmers are transforming into multifunctional directions and are increasing in a progressive manner. With a view to study planting pattern, demand-supply gap and economic returns of these commercial species, the socio-economic studies in six districts viz. Raebareli, Barabanki, Gorakhpur, Bahraich, Sonbhadra and Prayagraj of the region was carried out . The planting pattern of trees showed that on an average, 23 % trees were scattered on farms, 36 % were in blocks/orchards, 24 % were on bunds and 17 % were around homesteads etc. Due to huge demand of these two species in plywood/veneer and other wood based industries, a wide demand supply gap persists. The results depicted that in districts, Gorakhpur, Bahraich and Raebareli where plywood/veneer industry exists; highest demand supply gap of 135450, 151410 and 75230 cft/yrrespectively for Eucalyptus and 55741,111050 and 48100 cft/yrrespectively for Poplar was recorded. The market value of Eucalyptus and Poplar trees are almost same with again of Rs. 2000 to 2500 per tree by 3.0 to 3.5 qt of wood after 6-7 years of planting. The results clearly show that there is a great scope of planting of these two species in the commercial manner in the region of Eastern UP as they are fast growing, exempted from felling and transit permit and availability of marketplaces in wood industries. Thus, commercial approaches for developing profitable, ecologically and socio-economically viable plantation models of these species may further open a new path for economic strengthening of farmers and increasing green cover of the region.
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Introduction
Tree culture outside forests and specifically on farmland is immensely helping in increasing the tree and forest cover and also in overall rural development by generating employment in plantations and their growing, maintenance, harvesting, transportation; generating additional income to the growers from the sale of trees; and in establishing new wood based industry based on sustained availability of wood raw material from such tree resources. The main tree species planted by the farming community on their farmland are eucalypts, poplar semal, kadam, shisham etc which are fast grown and farmers are able to grow agriculture crops in their association. It is generating an employment of around 6 crore man-days in nursery and plantation culture and associated activities of harvesting, transportation and wood processing in wood based industry. Poplar is now a raw material for around three dozen products and has created a win-win situation for all that include government institutions which are earning appreciable revenue from taxation and licensing mechanisms (Dhiman, 2012). If Indian agriculture has to prosper, the situation in Uttar Pradesh has to improve in all sectors including crop diversification. Agroforestry can playa major role in bringing the desired level of diversification along with sustainability. The farm industry linkages have also helped the systems to be more sustainable than the traditional cropping systems (Kareemulla et al. 2005; Saxena, 2000).
The Eucalyptus and Poplar-based commercial agroforestry show that the technologies are widely adopted when their scientific principles are understood and socio-economic benefits are convincing. An examination of the impact of agroforestry technology generation and adoption indifferent parts of the country highlights the major role of smallholders as agroforestry producers of the future. It is crucial that progressive legal and institutional policies are created to eschew the historical dichotomy between agriculture and forestry and encourage integrated land-use systems. Government policies hold the key to agroforestry adoption (Puri and Nair, 2004).
Kumar et al. (2011) compared the status of agroforestry in eastern and western UP. Planting trees outside forests will be an additional source of raising forest cover. However, there is large disparity within the farmer communities for tree planting at their farm at regional scale. Economic motives in tree growing are evident in the share of commercial forest tree species in the farm forest tree content. The study concludes that social and economic environment within the households governs the tree planting on both the regions besides external factors. The present study deals with existing status of Eucalyptus and Poplar based agro forestry, timber trade mechanism and prospects of cultivation of these species in commercial manner.
Conclusion
The most preferred and prospecting commercial species of agroforestry in the region are Eucalyptus and Poplar. The plantation of these species of the region should betaken on priority basis so as maintain the sustainability and fulfilling the requirement of wood based industries. The decentralized wood mandis should be organized and registered. The awareness of people should be regularly increased through extension and training programmes. The model demonstration of agroforestry species should be established in the villages for promoting plantation of species in the region. The existing market information should be disseminated well among tree growers/farmers and new avenues for marketplaces as wood based industries should be initiated at planned level by the government. The species like Eucalyptus and Poplar which are exempted from felling/transit permit are not much known to the farmers of the region. So, increasing awareness of people is a must task for promotion of these species in the region.
