This document discusses the potential role of exotic poplar in increasing tree cover as an alternative for forest restoration in India. It notes that India's forest cover is only 21.05% of its geographical area, with low growing stock and mean annual increment in forests. Poplar is one of the preferred agroforestry species that provides both agricultural and wood products. However, the crash in poplar wood prices from 2001-2004 discouraged farmers from poplar plantations. As prices increased after 2004, poplar plantations have been rising again with annual plantings of around 80 million trees covering 0.04 million hectares as of 2013. Well-managed poplar plantations can provide a net income of around Rs. 200,000

1. Potential Role of Exotic Poplar in Increasing Tree Cover
as an Alternative for Forest Restoration in India
Kulvir S. Bangarwa
Professor
Department of Forestry
CCS Haryana Agricultural University
Hisar-125 004, India

2. Forest Cover
Area in km2
Geographical Area (%)
Very Dense Forest
83,471
2.54
Moderately Dense Forest
320,736
9.76
Open Forest
287,820
8.75
Total Forest Cover
6,92,027
21.05
Tree Cover
90,844
2.76
Total Forest & Tree Cover
7,82,871
23.81
2

3. Growing Stock in Forest
Total Growing stock
6,047.15 m m3
Inside of Forest area
4,498.73 m m3
Outside the forest area
1,548.42 m m3
Growing stock
61.72 m3/ha
MAI in Forests
<1 m3 per ha
Per capita forest
0.08 ha/person

4. Demand and Supply of Wood (million m3)
Particulars
1996 2001 2006
2010 2020
Wood demand
64
73
82
95
153
Output from forests
12
12
12
12
12
Output from plantations
41
47
53
58.5 88.7
Deficit
11
14
17
25.7 52.3
4

5. National Forest Policy (1988) directed the wood
based industrial units to meet their future raw
material
requirements
through
partnerships with farmers.
• Supply of planting stock
• Technical extension services
• Buy-back arrangements
developing

6. Agroforestry provides significant
social,
economic
and
environmental
benefits,
particularly in countries like India
with subsistence agriculture, low
and degraded forest cover and high
deforestation rate.

7. • Agroforestry can improve the lives of
resource-poor rural populations by providing
increased
income,
diversification
and
sustainability of agriculture and food security.
• It can reduce the pressure on natural forests,
and has a potential to bridge the gap in
demand and supply of forest products.

8. Poplar (Populus deltoides): Poplar (introduced in 1950) is
one of the most preferred agroforestry species in fertile
and irrigated lands in northern India. Poplar has gained
considerable importance in agroforestry, mainly due to its
deciduous nature, fast growing habit, adaptability to
different environmental conditions and silvicultural systems
and above all high industrial demand.

10. Sugar cane with Poplar

11. Turmeric in poplar

12. Fruit trees with Poplar

13. Turmeric and Fruit trees with Poplar

14. Buy-back arrangement of the Farm Forestry
Project, which was implemented by the
Western India Match Company Ltd.
(WIMCO) from 1984 to 1990 that promoted
the poplar based Agroforestry plantations.

15. Populus deltoides is widely grown on a
rotation of 6-8 years.
A well drained & irrigated, deep and fertile
soil is suitable for poplar.
One year old bare rooted saplings are used for
transplanting in January-February with a
spacing of 8 x 3 m2 or 7 x 3.5 m2 or 6 x 4 m2.

16. Rows are to be planted in north-south direction to
provide maximum sunlight to agricultural crops.
G3, G48, L34, S7C15, Uday, Kranti and Bahar are
superior clones of poplar. WSL 22, WSL 27, WSL 32,
WSL 39, WSL-A26 and WSL-A49 are new clones.
Maximum production potential
plantation : 50 m3/ha/year
of
poplar

17. Production Potential of poplar
Maximum Production Potential
Average Production Potential
50 m3/ha
30-35 m3/ha
A progressive farmer in Yamunanagar District of Haryana achieved
the maximum production potential of poplar with 65 m3/ha/year.
He harvested the 965 poplar trees from two hectare
land with average girth of about 100 cm in six years.

18. Deciduous nature of poplar allows agricultural
crops to grow with lesser adverse affect.
During first two years, sugarcane is best.
Third year onwards shade-loving crops
like turmeric can be grown successfully.
Wheat during the winter and fodder crops
during summer season are better.

19.  Poplar replaced Eucalyptus (with crash in prices)
in nineties due to the following advantages:
 It has faster biomass growth.
 It is more compatible with agricultural crops.
 Leaves get decomposed & help in maintaining soil
nutrients.
 It was easily saleable and fetches better prices.
 It is easily propagated through cuttings.

20. But poplar was no more popular during 2001-2005

21. Farmers were forced to sell their produce at throwaway prices
anywhere between Rs.70 and Rs.155 as compared to
Rs.350-550 per 100 Kg.
• Farmers were compelled for pre-mature felling of
poplar.
•
Sale price of 6-8 years old poplar tree with a girth of 1 m
was lower down to about Rs.500-600 per tree in 2004.

22. Marketing of poplar
Poplar wood has four rates ( Rupees per 100 Kg) depending on Girth.
Year
Over
(>60 cm)
Under
(45-60 cm)
Sokta
(30-45 cm)
Dandi
(<30 cm)
Average
509.26
318.08
242.41
86.02
Lowest
155
85
70
70
Highest
1150
900
680
300

23. Poplar wood pieces, measuring girth above 60 cm and are
free from knots, usually fetch maximum price followed by
wood pieces with girth between 45 and 60 cm, between
30 and 45 cm and less than 30 cm, respectively (the price
of poplar wood decreases as girth decreases). Poplar
wood is used for peeling by making wood pieces with the
length of 1.0 m, 1.3 m, 2.0 m and 2.6 m.

24. Market should be handled cautiously for getting
maximum sale price. Presence of knots in
selling stock can drastically reduce the sale
price of wood. Therefore, knot can be kept out
from the sale stock by selecting length
measuring 1.0 m, 1.3 m, 2.0 m and 2.6 m of
wood pieces depending upon position of knot.

25. Average wood production of a poplar tree with
girth of 100 cm is about 750 Kg
Over
(above 60 cm)
Under
(45-60 cm)
Sokta
(30-45 cm)
Dandi (Below
30 cm)
45 per cent
18 per cent
12 per cent
25 per cent

26. Impact of Market on Poplar plantation trend
The poplar based agroforestry plantations had been increasing at a
very faster rate all over northern India up to year 2000. Prior to crash
in poplar sale price, 10 million trees were planted annually in 0.02
million hectares of lands with an average density of 400-500 trees per
ha. But poplar was no more popular among farmers during 2001-2004
because the prices of their produce touching an all time low.

27. Poplar wood has four rates ( Rupees per 100 Kg) depending on Girth.
Year
Over (>60
cm)
Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm) Dandi (<30 cm)
2001-3
250
150
110
65
2004
155
85
70
70
2005
280
225
180
75
2006
500
350
220
100
2013
1150
900
680
300

28. Year
Over (>60 cm) Under (45-60 cm) Sokta (30-45 cm)
Dandi (<30 cm)
86-90
539
330
239
63
91-95
465
270
216
60
96-00
337
210
163
61
00-05
237
147
110
68
06-10
696
426
317
136
11-13
1100
833
643
233

33. After investing over six or seven
years, farmers see their dreams
coming apart.

34. Farmers were forced to sell their produce at throwaway
prices anywhere between Rs.70 (1.14 US$) and Rs.155
(2.55US$) as compared to Rs.350-550 (5.70-9.0 US$) per
100 Kg. Farmers were compelled for pre-mature felling of
poplar. Sale price of 6-8 years old poplar tree with a girth
of 1 m was lower down to about Rs.500-600 (8.0-9.8 US$)
per tree in 2004.

35. The low market price of poplar wood discouraged the farmers with the
result the farmers were compelled to deviate from poplar based
agroforestry plantations. Accordingly nursery growers also reduced
the production of poplar saplings in their nursery. Rates and demand
of poplar wood were start increasing by the end of 2004 and farmers
were again attracted towards poplar based agroforestry plantations.
Extent of poplar plantation was start increasing with faster rate.

36. Latest figure given in literature suggested that poplar plantations
in the country occupy an area of about 312,000 ha at a notional
density of 500 trees per ha and they are managed at a 6-8 years
rotation. Therefore, annual planting of poplar might be 80 million
poplar trees covering about 0.04 mha.
Till 2000
During 2001-04 2005
0.02 m
ha.
Decreasing fast
2006-2012
Lowest or nil Rising at fast
2013
0.04 m
ha.

37. Income Potential of Exotic Poplar
Six to eight years old poplar trees, with girth measuring
1 m at breast height (1.37 m), fetches about Rs 4000
per tree and net income from poplar plantations can
be expected to be Rs 200000 (3500 US$) per
hectare. In this way poplar plantation is the
economically excellent alternative in increasing tree
cover.

38. Conclusions
• Forests have very low growing stock (61.72 m3/ha) & MAI (<1m3 per ha).
•
Poplar based Agroforestry is the economically excellent alternative for
replacement (double return) of wheat-Rice rotation in increasing tree cover.
• Assured market is essential for adoption of new technology.
• Market should be handled cautiously for getting maximum sale
price. Market trend decides increase/decrease of adoption.

39. Wheat with
Poplar
Turmeric and Fruit trees with Poplar
Turmeric with
Poplar
Thanks…