Indian forests are being denuded at an appalling rate of 1.5 million ha per year but only a tenth of this is being renewed. This has resulted in the accelerated dwindling of forest resources to a meager level of 23.55 per cent of the total geographical area against the mandated requirement of 33 per cent. This low forest cover coupled with poor productivity (0.5 - 0.7 m³ ha^-1 yr^-1) in comparative global statistics (2.1 m³ ha^-1 yr^-1) of Indian forest has ushered in a total mismatch between supply and demand of both domestic and industrial wood besides creating environmental de-stability and disequilibrium. The National Forest Policy of 1988 has resolved to phase out the supply of raw material to wood based industries and ultimately totally stopped the raw material supply from the forest. The policy also indicated that wood based industries have to become self reliance in meeting the raw material demand by establishing direct linkages with the farmers by providing lending facilitates and other input needs. This is going to pave the way for a strong industry-farmer nexus, with many farmers attracted towards tree husbandry due to assured marketability and income. As the activity gets intensified, location specific problems warranting solution are also found to be in the ascendancy. Many plantation activities suffer due to non availability of potential varieties suitable to varied edapho-climatic conditions. All these underpins, a strong institute and industrial linkages to develop superior genotypes suitable for various agro climatic zones coupled with intensive silvicultural management for productivity improvement thereby helping to improve the farm net income.

Against this backdrop, Forest College and Research Institute has prioritized the following species for variety development productivity improvement through precision silviculture coupled with location specific agroforestry models  besides, creating the value chain.

Prioritized species

Varieties developed

This institute has developed superior clones in Eucalyptus (FCRI 103, 56, 10) and Casuarina (MTP CA1 – Casuarina equisetifolia; MTP CA2 – Casuarina junghuhniana) as a source of short rotation, industrial pulp wood species with a cellulose content of more than 45%, kappa number around 20% with an yield of 100 tonnes/ha.

Clonal technology

Significant achievements have been made for mass multiplication of superior clones through clonal technology.  This institute has developed a low cost poly tunnel system and promoted decentralized farmers based clonal multiplication system.  Accordingly 16 districts in the state have been identified and promoted clonal multiplication in a decentralized manner.  As on now, more than 20 lakhs clonal seedlings have been produced and used by different levels of farmers.

Industrial collaboration

This institute has developed industrial collaboration for promotion of pulp wood based contract farming system with the following two industries viz., Tamil Nadu Newsprints & Papers Ltd., Kagithapuram, Karur and M/s.Seshasayee Paper Boards Ltd., Erode.  The institute has designed a quad partite model contract farming system in association with financial institution and promoted industrial wood plantations.

Area covered

This institute in association with two industries has promoted contract farming through the high yielding varieties identified by the institute and promoted in 16 districts of the state. The details are furnished.