In India, natural teak is primarily distributed in the peninsular region below 24^o latitude, spanning states such as Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and southern parts of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, with lesser extents in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Manipur, Tripura, and Mizoram. Teak plantations have gained significance in India to meet the industry’s wood demand, ranking second only to Shorea robusta (Sal) in growing stock. Despite being one of the world’s largest teak producers, India relies heavily on imports to meet the demand for the housing sector and construction needs, with teak roundwood imports doubling from around half a million m³ in 2009 to 1.40 million geometric CBM in 2022. Major teakwood exporters to India include Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin.

Genetic improvement programs for teak in India date back to 1962, coinciding with similar initiatives in the same period in Thailand. Although Indian teak exhibits significant genetic diversity, its productivity remains low, with an average Mean Annual Increment (MAI) of only 2.85 m³/ha/year over a 60-year rotation, compared to Thailand’s average MAI of 4.5 m³/ha/year over a 30-year rotation. This is attributed to poor site conditions, the establishment of plantations with low-quality seedlings of unknown origin, and inadequate silvicultural management by the forest department. Additionally, microfinancing and credit lending schemes face challenges due to the long gestation periods of rotations and the lack of interim income sources for tree growers.

In addition to teak, Indian farmers cultivate native species like Melia dubia, Neem, Poplars, Jackwood, Gmelina arborea and Tamarind etc, suitable to the specific locations and depending on the climatic conditions. These species not only meet household timber demand but also provide economic support for livelihoods.