Despite 95 percent of the world’s harvested teak being imported by India, the country’s population is distancing itself from natural teak, says Sheam Satkuru, Executive Director of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). Speaking to Mathrubhumi in a special interview during the 5th World Teak Conference in Kochi, Sheam Satkuru emphasised that India needs to prepare for teak export beyond just imports.
India holds one-fifth (22 percent) of the world’s teak wealth, with 59.35 lakh hectares of natural teak forests and 16.93 lakh hectares of plantations, according to TEAKNET’s global teak inventory study. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have the most teak, and Kerala’s
Nilambur hosts the world’s oldest teak plantation.
“The world sees 95-97 percent of harvested teak from plantations going to India. Teak from Latin American countries and Africa is mostly imported by India. Teak is in high demand globally, not just for furniture but for boat and shipbuilding. Though India imports the most teak, the irony is Indians are moving away from their own natural teak.”
Reasons for Decreased Use of Indian Teak
“The reduction in using natural teak is good for forest conservation. But India should increase the use of plantation teak. There’s a big difference in quality between natural and plantation teak. Still, teak is more durable than other woods.
The current Indian generation prefers cheap imported teak and other materials like aluminium and PVC for short-term use.”
Quality of Indian Teak
“Yes, teak grown in India is considered among the best globally. Myanmar’s teak is similar due to a comparable climate and soil. Teak is called ‘brown gold’ – trees are typically harvested at 80-100 years, making it a long-term investment.”
ITTO’s Suggestion for India’s Teak Sector Growth
“India should increase teak plantations and change policies. We’ve discussed this with Indian government representatives. With more plantations, India can shift from import to export – there’s external demand for Indian teak. We also need to bring Indians closer to teak again through marketing campaigns – we’ve spoken about this with forest officials.”