Government of Andhra Pradesh

(Forest Department)

 

Ref. No. 3048/V1/2004.

Date: 30-01-2004

Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests - Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad.

 

SRI S.K. DAS, I.F.S.,

PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FORESTS

 

CIRCULAR No. 1/2004.

 

Sub: Departmental Extraction of Eucalyptus Plantations. -

Management of Eucalyptus Plantations for maximum returns – Certain guidelines – Issued – Reg.

 

*****

 

1.                  It bought to the notice of all the Officers that Eucalyptus Plantation, which have been raised under different schemes in the department in the past with the main objective of meeting the pulpwood requirement of Wood based Industries, have been rendered commercially non-viable in many cases sue to surplus production of pulpwood in the Farm sector under Agro-Forestry programmers. This is evident from the fact that there was glut in the price of pulpwood for the last 5-6 years. However, there is an upward trend in the recent past.

 

2.                  It is further brought to notice of all Officers that the Singareni Collieries Company Ltd., Kothagudem, a fully owned state Government company, requires Eucalyptus wood of high girth classes for making use as Props and Chocks in their mining operations. The rate of wood for Props and Chocks would be at least four times more than that of the Pulpwood of the same weight.

 

3.                  It is therefore urged to maintain the potentially good Eucalyptus Plantations, wherever the conditions are favourable, for a period of 1 to 3 years more beyond the present rotation are in order to get maximum number of props and chocks. It has therefore been felt appropriate to issue suitable guidelines for the field level functionaries in order to simplify the job of converting the Eucalyptus tree after felling into Props and Chocks as as to get maximum financial returns to the Department as well as the members of Vana Smarakshana Samithies (VSSs).

 

4.                  Following are the Options to market the Eucalyptus wood: -

a.                  Eucalyptus Props: Specification are as follows:

Length 2.70 – 4.90 Meters

Thinner and girth over bark 36 cm – 44 cm

Mid girth over bank Not more than 55 cm

 

b.                  Eucalyptus Chocks: Specification are as follows:

Length 1.22 Meters

Mid girth (Under bark) 40 – 60 cm

It is further informed that on an average 60 Chocks will admeasure to 1 CMt. In volume. The rate for Props per CMt will be higher than that for Chocks. But the demand for Props is limited and demand of chocks is higher. But the fact remains that the rate for chocks is much higher than that of the Eucalyptus pulpwood in the present market situation. Therefore it is advisable to try to extract maximum number of Chocks once the Props are extracted.

 

5.                  It is clear from Para 4 that only when thinner end girth of the stem is 36 cm – 44 cm, it can be converted as a Prop provided it has the requisite length of 2.70 M to 4.90 M. The length of a particular stem may be 10.00 M, 9.0 M or 8.00 etc. When the thinner end girth is 36 cm – 44 cm. The question that naturally arises as to what will be the best possible way of conversation into props and chocks giving maximum financial returns? The answer is Illustrated in the following table which should invariably be followed by all field officers as Ready Reckoner, which has been formulated by the Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Limited, Hyderabad in his Circular Dated 01-05-2000.

 

6.                  Immediately after felling a tree, the point where the thinner and girth is 36 cm (O.B) should be marked and the length of the stem up to this point measured. When the length varies from 2.70 M to 10.00 M the best possible conversation may be seen in Ready Reckoner Table given below.

 

 

 

SL_No

Length in Meters

Props Length (M)

No.

Chocks

Value in Rs. (app)

Total Value in Rs.

1

10.00 to 9.90

4.50

2.70

1

2

-

-

150.00

208.00

358.00

2

9.80 to 9.40

4.00

2.70

1

2

-

-

132.25

208.00

340.25

3

9.30 to 8.90

3.50

2.70

1

2

-

-

106.00

208.00

314.00

4

8.80 to8.50

4.50

4.00

1

1

-

-

150.00

282.25

132.25

5

8.45

4.50

4.00

1

1

1

150.00

104.00

28.00

282.25

6

8.40 to 8.00

4.00

2

-

132.25

132.25

264.5

7

7.75

4.00

2.70

1

1

1

-

1

132.25

104.00

28.00

264.5

8

7.90 to 7.20

2.50

2.70

1

1

-

150.00

104.00

254.0

9

7.10 to 6.70

4.00

2.70

1

1

-

132.25

104.00

236.25

10

6.65

2.70

2

1

104.00

104.00

28.00

236.00

11

6.60 to 6.20

3.50

2.70

1

1

-

106.00

104.00

210.00

12

6.10 to 5.40

2.70

2

-

104.00

104.00

208.00

13

5.30

4.00

1

1

132.25

28.00

160.25

14

5.20

2.70

1

2

104.00

28.00

28.00

160.00

15

5.10 to 4.50

4.50

1

-

1540.00

150.00

16

4.40 to 4.00

4.00

1

-

132.25

132.25

17

3.90 to 3.50

3.50

1

-

106.00

106.00

18

3.40 to 2.70

2.70

1

-

104.00

104.00

 

 

7.                  Copies of the above table should be supplied to all the field staff and Officers. The Conservator of Forests and Divisional Forest Officers are requested to demonstrate in the field about the conversation of Eucalyptus trees into props and chocks with the use of this table to the Forest Range Officers, Forest Section Officers, Forest Beat Officers and the Assistant Beat Officers who are engaged in harvesting of Eucalyptus Plantations.

 

8.                  It is pertinent to mention here that we do not have the choice to extract any number of Props as the requirement of the SCC Ltd. Has entered into MOU with the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation Limited for supply of Props and Chocks every year for a period of ten years from 2000-01 onwards. Only the requirement of SCC Ltd, in excess of the supply from Andhra Pradesh Development Corporation Limited, can be met from the Forest Department and therefore the Conservator of Forests / Divisional Forest Officers are requested to ascertain the requirement of Props and Chocks from SCC Ltd, before taking up the harvesting plan; as otherwise, if the Chocks and Props are reconverted into pulpwood for want of demand, the Government will be put to heavy financial loss. The balance quantity shall be utilized for conversation into pulpwood or Faggot wood as the case may be.

 

9.                  The last but the most important point is not only to follow the above instruction the conversation of Eucalyptus wood to the maximum financial advantage of the Department but to maintain certain potentially good Eucalyptus plantations beyond the present rotation age the 8th year for period of 1.2 or 3 years more so that the maximum number of plant population attains the girth convertible into Props and Chocks which will result in additional revenues to the Government and additional income to the VSS. It should be mentioned here that such plantations should be maintained only after carrying out the pro-harvesting operations like uprootal of miscellaneous growth, carrying out Soil and Moisture Conservation measures and ploughing the area in between the rows of the Eucalyptus Plantation across the slope. The Conservators of Forests are requested to see that a register is maintained in the Division Office of such Plantations.

 

All the Conservators of Forests are requested to acknowledge the receipt of the circular instructions by return of post.

 

 

 

Sd/- S. K. Das, IFS

Prl. Chief Conservator of Forests

 

 

To

All the Conservator of Forests (T&WL) for information and necessary action.

Copies to all the Divisional Forest Officers (T, LD & WL), through Conservators of Forests, in the Head Office.

 

 

Copy to the Stock File.

 

 

// TRUE COPY //

 

 

 

for Prl. Chief Conservator of Forests