Quantitative analysis/estimation of wood utilization in wood based industries of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Quantitative analysis/estimation of wood utilization in wood based industries of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Zahid Rauf, Tanvir Ahmad Qureshi, Ghayyas Ahmad and Wahiba Iqbal
ABSTRACT
A survey of wood based industries was conducted in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Project, "Provision for Forestry Research Enhancement at Pakistan Forest Institute" funded by the Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to estimate the quantitative wood consumption and types of wood species utilized by the various wood based industries to help various stake holders and policy makers for sustainable forest management and subsequent provision of woody raw material on sustainable basis to the wood based industries by the respective Forest Departments.139 various wood based industries i.e. Furniture, Sports, Chipboard, Medium Density Fiber board (MDF), Plywood and Match-manufacturing were surveyed and data was collected on a well-structured 15 point pro forma besides exploratory interviews with the experts and cottage units. Results showed that the furniture industry utilized 2,722,643 cft of different wood species annually collectively in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Chipboard industry had its utilization of various wood species standing at 178,084 tons cumulatively annually in both provinces. Plywood industry consumed 170,133 cft and 1095 tons of wood in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa respectively on yearly basis. MDF and Match industries were mainly present in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while Sports industry was located in Punjab and their respective utilizations of wood were 45,667 tons, 15,805 tons and 8,000 tons respectively per annum.
The major local tree species used in the various industries were Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), Kikar (Acacia nilotica), Mulberry (Morus alba), Eucalyptus spp., Poplar spp. Frash (Tamarix aphylla), Bakain (Melia azedarach), Walnut (Juglans regia), Simal (Bombax ceiba), indigenous and imported Willow (Salix tetrasperma and S. alba) and Mango (Mangifera indica). It is recommended that afforestation/reforestation programs all over the country should ensure a sustainable supply of raw material for the wood based industries.
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