International Paper, through its group company, Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd (APPM) today celebrated the milestone of planting one billion trees in India through its farm forestry initiative.

A ceremonial billionth tree was planted at the APPM manufacturing facility in Rajahmundry by Thomas Kadien, Senior Vice-President, Consumer Packaging and  IP Asia and India, to mark the occasion.

Michael Amick, President – IP India, in a statement said, “Our farm forestry programme helps ensure a stable supply of raw material for our paper manufacturing while helping to create jobs and improving the lives of many families throughout the region.”

Thanking the farmers and nursery managers, he said the programme has helped restore productivity to barren lands and generate income for thousands of families.

The farmers and local communities have benefitted from firewood, feed for their cattle, and other advantages that have resulted from this programme.

Reaching the billion tree milestone is a testimony to our ongoing focus on sustainability and demonstrates our commitment to being responsible in the way we conduct our business, he said.

The farm forestry initiative was established by APPM in the early 1980s to meet the growing concern of non-availability of fibrous raw material for the paper industry.

The company embarked upon the ambitious programme of self sustenance by generating the requisite fibrous raw material in collaboration and cooperation with farmers by utilising their marginal and degraded lands, which were lying barren and unutilised.

This integrated pulpwood-based farm forestry project operates in nine coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. The research and development department of the company has also developed superior clones of Casuarina and Eucalyptus.

These clones can significantly increase the farmers’ productivity as well as provide better revenue generation on their lands.

rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

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