Thinking of eucalyptus block plantation on marginal land. Want rotation, yield and market view.
Eucalyptus farming returns per acre, is it worth planting?
NNaresh Kumar10mo ago · 357 views
6 Answers
🌾Farmer.in Krishi TeamExpert ✓10mo ago
Eucalyptus is a hardy, fast growing timber tree suited to marginal and even somewhat poor land, widely planted in Haryana, Punjab and many states for pulpwood, poles and plywood. It grows on a rotation of roughly five to seven years for the first cut, and it coppices, meaning it regrows from the stump for further harvests, which lowers replanting cost. It needs little care once established, tolerates a range of soils, and can be planted in blocks or as boundary rows. Returns per acre over a rotation depend on clone, spacing, survival and the wood rate at harvest, which fluctuates with paper mill and plywood demand. It is worth it on land where annual crops give poor returns, but it does draw heavily on soil moisture, so avoid planting close to crops you care about. Use recommended clonal plants, and confirm current pulpwood or timber rates with local mills and traders before committing.
SSatpal10mo ago
Eucalyptus grows on my poor patch where wheat gave little. Low care, and after the first cut it sprouts again from the stump so I save on replanting. Wood goes to the paper and plywood traders. Rate goes up and down, sell when it is decent.
KKrishan Lal9mo ago
Good for marginal land but it sucks a lot of water, do not plant it on the edge of a field where it will starve your crop. Use good clones for straight fast growth. Coppicing for a second harvest is a real money saver.
RRam Niwas9mo ago
I planted a row too close to my neighbour's field and it became a dispute, the roots and shade hit his crop. Keep a buffer from boundaries and from your own good cropland. On the standalone marginal block it has been trouble free and the coppice second cut was almost free money.
SSushila Devi8mo ago
Check the paper mill rate before you fell. When pulpwood demand is weak the traders quote low and you lose. A couple of times I waited and sold when the mill was buying actively. Good clones grow straighter and the mill pays more for clean straight wood.
JJaiveer Singh8mo ago
Survival in the first year decides your final stand. I lost plants the first time to poor watering in the early months, so the block was patchy at harvest. Water it the first one or two summers and weed around the young plants, after that it almost looks after itself.