UDFC to sell wood to consumers

In an attempt to generate more profit, the Uttaranchal Forest Development Corporation (UDFC) is planning to target wood consumers directly in the hill state as well as nearby states.

Officials feel that selling woods directly to consumers will bring more profit to the corporation.

"We understand that there is a big margin in the house construction activities. So we are discussing several proposals to reach directly to consumers," said RP Kala, divisional manager (planning) of the corporation.

The corporation has opened three depots at Ganeshpur in the Saharanpur district, Bilaspur in the Rampur district and Loni in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh recently as first step to reach consumers directly.

After showing a dismal performance in 2002-03, the corporation generated a profit of Rs 1.80 crore in 2003-04. It could generate only a Rs 36 lakh profit in 2002-03.

"In 2002-03, we regularised 1,737 employees due to which our profits came down," said the divisional manager of the corporation.

In 2001-02, the corporation had earned a profit of Rs 3.99 crore mainly due to good buying season.

Nevertheless, the corporation is generating a Rs 130 crore annual revenue by selling coniferous and broad leave woods, which include deodar, kail, fir, pine in the hills.

The corporation is also supplying woods like eucalyptus and poplar to Century Paper Mills in Lal Kuan and Star Paper Mill in Saharanpur.

The corporation is generating an additional Rs 20 crore revenue through mining activities.