The Era of full Poplar Ply has started knocking on the plywood market as a number of plywood producers in north India have started offering these ranges which almost disappeared 4 years ago. As per a report from Yamunanagar plywood industry, the producers have started offering these ranges at affordable pricing.
The trade people from Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra have reported to query for full Poplar Ply, who were shifted to economical grade plywood from Nepal, Vietnam and Kerala. A plywood trader from Gujarat says that recently he visited Yamunanagar and he found some good quality full Poplar plywood at competitive pricing very close to Kerala. He says that because of high timber and resin prices along with BIS compliances, the Kerala based plywood prices have gone high in the last two three months.
Market reports that one year back, a big chunk of the economical grade plywood market had shifted due to cheaper alternate ply from imports and South India took the entire market share of Full Poplar Ply. A big market share of Poplar plywood is taken by Kerala based Rubber Plywood in Maharashtra, Gujarat and other markets.
Manufacturers say that with easing availability of Poplar timber, the producers are shifting again to full Poplar Ply rather than alternate because Eucalyptus timber is getting costlier. It is noted that Poplar has dominated in the plywood market from 2014 to 2019 because of cheaper availability of raw materials, and North Plywood Industry leads its position in market, and the scenario seems to return 6 years back again, as per market report.
[Published in Ply Reporter's October 2025 Print Issue]