Sustainable Sourcing of Wood Fibre

ITC’s Paperboards Mill at Bhadrachalam manufactured over 360,908 tonnes of paperboards in 2008-09, using 5,32,254 tonnes of pulpwood, apart from waste paper and some special pulp. This pulpwood is sourced largely from renewable plantations in agricultural lands and private wastelands owned by farmers, and does not deplete natural forests.

ITC invested significantly in Research & Development, over many years, to create clonal saplings of Eucalyptus, Subabul and Casurina, which are largely disease-resistant, grow faster with reduced growing cycles, and have higher survival rates. These were then provided to small farmers for planting in private wastelands. These clones, popularly known as ‘Bhadrachalam clones’, have been developed following a traditional breeding route and are not genetically modified. ITC also provides a comprehensive package of plantation management practices under the Tree Improvement Programme to facilitate growers.

The pulpwood species of Eucalyptus, Subabul and Casuarina are exotics and are not sourced from high value conservation forests. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has declared Eucalyptus, Subabul and Casuarina as agricultural produce.

The forestry initiatives have brought with it a multiplicity of additional benefits apart from conserving natural forest resources. These include the creation of a green cover for carbon sequestration, conserving in-situ moisture, groundwater recharge, reduction in topsoil losses and increase in soil fertility. More importantly, it has provided 40 million mandays of employment to tribals and marginal farmers, many of whom are among the most disadvantaged.

Over 98.70% of the Bhadrachalam mill's total wood requirement in 2008-09 came from plantations under the agro-forestry initiatives. Around 6240 tonnes of bamboo was sourced from authorised open markets. A small portion amounting to 4263.13 tonnes of wood (0.53%) was sourced from private farmlands. The mill also utilised 40,194 tonnes of waste paper.

The Bhadrachalam Paper & Paperboards mill is ISO 9001-2000 certified, ensures traceability of all the wood used in the manufacturing process and does not buy wood-based raw materials from unidentified sources.