• Demand from housing, furniture, hospitality and handicraft remains strong, making India a potential market for imported wood products. Limited domestic supplies is driving demand for newer species of imported wood, but exporters should be prepared to start small and be patient

India is not only a major producer of tropical logs in the world, but also one of the largest consumers of wood products. Growing middle class is more interested in luxury goods such as imported furniture. Consumers shopping online are well aware of furniture styles available globally such as kitchen cabinets, flooring, doors, bedroom and living room, kitchen furniture, and window frames. The penetration of e-commerce in rural areas is further fueling demand for imported furniture. Over the next decade, India is expected to become the world’s next substantial wood fiber import market (second only to China). India is likely to remain, primarily, a log import market. Demand for softwood log imports is forecast to triple by 2021 and demand for teak log imports will more than double.