India targets trade boost with FSC pact

The Quality Council of India (QCI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) have signed an agreement to promote responsible forest management in India and boost international trade in forest products.

The Memorandum of Understanding with India’s national quality facilitation and accreditation organisation was signed at FSC’s headquarters in Bonn. It follows rapid growth in FSC certification in India from only four chain of custody certificates in 2007 to 300 today.

TR Manoharan, FSC’s national representative in India, said the pact was a positive step forward. “This will help to bring the benefits of FSC certification to the fast-growing Indian economy, people and the environment.”

The agreement aims to support the development of FSC programmes in India by strengthening the credibility of independent third-party auditing, providing technical support and training, and fostering the exchange of information between the two organisations.

Anil Jauhri, the QCI representative, said market demand for FSC products was an important driver of the partnership and would give India greater access to international markets.

FSC director-general Andre de Freitas said: “With its fast-growing economy, large population, and biologically important forest ecosystems, India is a key market for FSC. “