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India is facing a serious shortage in the supply of timber and fuel wood and has stirred timber export markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Nigeria in recent months, according to the recent World Bank study "India - unlocking opportunities for forest-dependent people". India's forests are regenerating at less than half percent per annum, leading to a projected shortfall in timber supply of 39 million m3 in 2006. In the case of fuel wood, the estimated demand stands at 139 million tones, far above the supply from regulated and sustainable sources. In terms of volume, around 95% of India's timber imports consist of industrial roundwood, mainly tropical. The government of India encourages the import of roundwood with a tariff of 5% on logs, in comparison with 15.3% on sawntimber and 34.44% for mouldings, veneer and panel products. |