Plantation forestry

Plantation forestry: Teak plantation

1. Plantation forestry

2. Introduction Teak is a high-quality hardwood timber species mostly found in tropical regions. One of the most valuable and high-priced timber crops in India. It is a deciduous, large tree growing long reaching 30 to 40m in height. The hardwood is yellowish brown in color and darkens as the trees grow old; A newly cut wood smells leather-like. The teak tree is a tall evergreen tree producing large leaf just like tobacco leaf. The leaf is ovate and elliptical with an upper surface rough and underneath it has hairs. Flowers of the tree are bluish-white with fruits that are fleshy with thin skin and a thick knobby shell containing the seed. The tree sapwood or outer wood is whitish grey and can easily separate from heartwood.

3. A teak plantation is a profitable crop with the government giving subsidies for its promotion.
Teak plantations are widely established in the peninsular regions and grown in all parts of India becoming a local cultural and socioeconomic system. Teak can grow well in moisturized regions and with tropical environment produces good quality teak wood. It’s first recorded in the year 1842-62; teak plantation first started in Kerala for industrial purposes by Mr.Chatu Menonhas raised more than a million teak trees and is considered as ‘Father of Indian Teak Plantation’. Teak is native to forest regions of India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Thailand. Teak is grown as an exotic species and ranked in many countries as a high priority species, but is limited to less than medium scale planting. There are many factors affecting the success of teak plantation such as site quality, seed quality, and other biological factors

4. Scientific/Botanical name of Teak Wood The botanical or scientific name of the Teak Wood tree is ‘ Tectonagrandis ’ and the plant comes from the family Lamiaceae . The other teak species include Tectonagrandia , Tectonaphilippinensis , and Tectonahamiltoniana .

5. Other names of Teak Wood Tree Teak tree or Teak Wood is called by many other names such as Burma teak, Rangoon teak, Saka, Sanwan wood, Moulmein teak, tekka,African teak ( Afromosia ), Brazilian Teak ( Cumaru ), kyun , rosawa , and maisak .

6. Teak Wood Farming Project Report – Teak Wood Varieties/Teak Wood Cultivars Teak heartwood is differentiated according to the log dimensions. The teak pricing mainly depends on the grain and color of the heartwood. The wood appearance and characteristics are different depending on the development and origin of the trees. Teak wood trees that are nourished in a different region having different climatic conditions, exhibit change in the Heartwood quality, color , and appearance.

7. Nilambur Teak Wood Also known as Malabar teak. It got its name for its organized teak plantation started in 1842 in Nilambur , Kerala.
This place is famous for its teak museum. This variety grows fast having straight grain with golden yellowish brown color heartwood. The tree yields larger log dimensions often with darker streaks. Nilambur teak is famous for shipbuilding trade and the wood is also used for furniture and in other things.

8. Myanmar Teak Also commonly known as Burma teak. This tree variety, mostly from natural growth has slow wood growth. The heartwood has close grain with darker color fetching the highest price in the world market. Myanmar teak fetches 32 times more returns on investment in 25 years. Teak trees planted in suitable sites with very low input management fetches high returns.

9. Paratwada Teak It gets its name from the region Paratwada in Amravati district of Maharashtra. This place is famous as its one of the biggest suppliers of teak wood in Asia.

10. Adilabad Teak This variety of wood comes from a place Adilabad situated in the northern tip of Andhra Pradesh state. Adilabad has a forest area of nearly 7,000 sq. Km and grows in the Rajulmaddugu forest region. The heartwood has an attractive surface with a rose color fetching a higher price.

11. Godavari Teak This teak comes from east and west Godavari regions in Andhra Pradesh. Backyard or home garden grown teak has bends and knots affecting the price of the wood as it’s defective. Teak wood from wet regions is pale in color while teak wood from dry regions is darker golden brown in color . The wood looks attractive for the black streaks while fetching a good market price. Teak wood from wet regions is susceptible to brown rot fungi.

12. Konni Teak These teak trees are grown in the hilly regions of Konni in Kerala. The teak wood has close grain with a slow growth rate and dark in color . The wood is stronger than Nilambur teak.

13. Other Teak Wood in India Depending on the regions spread out in India, India produces other varieties such as Mysore teak, Balharshah teak, Nagpur teak, and Konkan teak. The wood gets their name for natural habitat growth in the forest areas of their respective regions

14. Teak Wood Farming Project Report – Establishing Cost for Teak Wood Farming S.No Particulars Cost ( Rs /Acre) 01. Young Teak Plants (@ 2.50/-) 6,875/ 02. Plant replacement (20% mortality) (550 @ 2.50/-) 1,375/- 03. Labor cost (land preparation, planting, weeding, pits, soil working, etc.) 20,150/ 04. Manure and Fertilize 4,600/ 05. Herbicides and Pesticides 3,800/ 06. Irrigation 4,500/- Contingency 3,700 Total Cost 45,000/

15. Teak Wood Farming Project Report – Income on Teak Wood Farming: S.No Age (years) Particulars Income ( Rs .) 01. 7 – 8 Trees fell for Poles (1000@ 125/-) 1,25,000/- 02. 13-14 Trees fell for Poles (500 @ 275/-) 1,37,500/- 03. 20 Trees fell for Heartwood (275 @ 65 cft @ 7,500/-) 4,87,500/- 04. 30 Trees fell for Heartwood (250 @108 cft @ 15,000/-) 16,20,000/-

16. Teak growth slows down from 15 years, the heartwood is immature and not that strong. The teak attains marketable heartwood from 20 year onwards. Best growth has been observed under natural conditions such as alluvial soil (soils are deep and moist) and with tropical climatic conditions. Thinning must be undertaken as the trees maturing; the first thinning is done in 7 to 8 year and second thinning in the 13 to 14 year. At the time of pruning, the twigs and branches that are cut down can be sold as fuel wood.

17. Teak Wood Farming Project Report – Marketing of Teak Wood Teak is one of the high priced timber and important commercial timber tree in India. Teak wood is most sought after timber which is used in many ways from domestic to commercial consumption. The irony of the Indian retail market is timber is sold in the name of teak while it’s not teak wood. Despite many private institutions are coming up in large numbers with teak wood farming, the demand remains evergreen