AP likely to be top teakwood producer

HYDERABAD: If all goes well, Andhra Pradesh will emerge as a global producer of Teak in the next few years.Under the Mahatma Gandhi Vana Nurseries (MGVN) programme, the government plans to plant 5.5 crore Teak saplings this year with an aim to double the number next year. "Earlier, the number of Teak plants grown annually would be around 2 lakhs all over the state.Now the number is in crores, at least ten times higher than before.Even if only 50 per cent of the saplings that have been planted survive, the state will definitely emerge as a top global Teakwood supplier in the coming years," R G Khalaghatgi, additional principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) said. The programme, which was flagged off in October 2010 in convergence with the rural development department, is being seen as a rejuvenation for social forestry in the state. Speaking to Express, the forest official said till now, 3.5 crore teak saplings have been distributed to farmers.Under the programme, two nurseries will be developed in each mandal, adding up to around 2,500 nurseries in the state. The programme also aims to benefit small and marginal farmers while improving the ecology of the region.Since it takes at least a year before the Teak seeds grow into saplings and almost 15 years before the wood can be used, the government needed to distribute saplings to the farmers at the earliest.For this, the state bought the Teak saplings this year from Tamil Nadu. All farmers who have job cards under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) are eligible to get saplings from the government.The saplings will be grown on the bunds of the farmers' lands without any disruption to agriculture crops.As many as 160 Teak saplings will be given to the farmer per acre. Farmers are also being given Subabul, Eucalyptus, Glycedia seedlings among others.400 of these saplings will be given per acre."But ninety per cent of the farmers asked for Teak saplings as it is beneficial to them.Hence a majority of seedlings distributed under the programme is Teak," Khalaghatgi said, adding that next year, the number of Teak seedlings would be stepped up to ninety per cent. In the past three years, social forestry activities have been dormant in the state due to lack of manpower.But now, there is sufficient trained manpower to take up the programme, he said. Till now, around 4 lakh small and marginal farmers have benefited from the programme.It aims to cover another 2 lakh farmers this year.In all, 9.5 crore different saplings will be distributed. For Teak, farmers will get paid Rs 54 per plant in the first year, Rs 36 in the second and Rs 24 in the third.The money will be directly deposited into the farmers' bank account. For other seedlings which do not have much maintenance cost, the farmer will have to take the initiative to maintain them.In this case, the farmers will also get to keep any economic benefit out of the venture without sharing it with the government.