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PICRYL and other wood panel products.
The QCO implementation deadline for plywood was 28
February 2025. Plywood importers are pressuring shippers
to dispatch orders immediately. Some say that, post QCO

deadline, imports of veneers may increase.

Budget focus on stimulating consumption
The domestic media has reported on comments in a BNP
Paribas analysis that the economically challenging times due
to a slowdown in growth seems to be over as new orders,
agriculture exports, rural wages, steel production, auto sales
and tax collection picked up after the weak third-quarter 2024.
According to the National Statistical Office India’s GDP

socio-political and economic constraints is challenging. growth is projected at 6.4 percent for Financial Year 2025 with
By focusing on transparency, traceability and sustainable a more robust 6.7 percent growth expected in the second
practices Myanmar could begin to rebuild trust in its timber half of the fiscal year. The improvement is attributed to a
industry and navigate its path toward a resilient and internationally stronger agriculture sector.
accepted forestry sector. The BNP Paribas report also highlighted a focus in the
Union Budget on stimulating consumption through which
INDIA tax adjustments were made to boost disposable incomes,

QCO implementation disrupting the flow of panel particularly for high-income households.
imports
The Correspondent writes “market sentiment appears to be at Kerala becoming a particleboard manufacturing hub
an all-time low mainly because uncertainty over the BIS Quality The Indian panel sector magazine, Ply Reporter, has said the
Control Order (QCO) implementation which has disrupted the South Indian state of Kerala is emerging as another Particle
flow of panel imports. Boards manufacturing hub in India.
Staff from the QCO Department responsible for mill Recently three new manufacturing units have started
inspections and certification have not visited many foreign production the capacity addition has reached to 2,500 cubic
panel manufacturers and there are indications that only two metres per day.

BIS certificates have been issued to overseas suppliers, both Reports say that most of the PB manufacturing lines have
of which are in Nepal. approximately 150 to 250 cubic meters per day production
Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian, Chinese, Vietnamese and capacity of 8x4 ft size.
Russian shippers have applied for certification but they have
not been advised of dates for mill inspection. VIETNAM
The Indian Standards Quality Control Order (QCO), BIS February exports jump almost five percent
certification and ISI marks, came into effect on 10 February According to the Vietnam Customs Office, W&WP exports

2025 and is mandatory for domestic and imported MDF, in February 2025 earned US$800 million, up 4.5 percent
particleboard and blockboard, plywood, shuttering plywood compared to February 2024.