UP first state to undertake 'forest certification'

Wooden products made of forest wood in Uttar Pradesh will soon reach out to global markets via 'forest certification' that is currently underway, an official said.

Principal Secretary (forests) Sanjiv Saran, said that Uttar Pradesh was the first in the country where jungles coming under the state government were being certified.

The certification has been done in more than 3.49 lakh hectares spread across 14 districts. Once the process is completed, the state would be able to export furniture and other handicrafts to Europe and the US.

So far, in the absence of certification, such a thing was impossible, Saran said.

The official also added that many other states like Rajasthan, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have contacted the department for information so as to replicate this certification process there.