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Wood panel Quality Control Orders (plywood, MDF, particle board)
What it is
Two orders made BIS certification mandatory for wood-based panels - the Wood Based Boards order from 11 February 2025 and the Plywood and Wooden Flush Door Shutters order from 28 February 2025. Only foreign manufacturers holding a valid BIS licence may ship into India
Panel imports ran at about Rs 3,431 crore in FY25, plywood roughly three-quarters of that
Impact on industries
- Imports collapsed on implementation - plywood fell from Rs 369 crore in February 2025 to Rs 42 crore by April, MDF from Rs 88 crore to Rs 19 crore
- Domestic panel makers gained pricing room that years of anti-dumping petitions had not delivered
- Licensing coverage is thin - China held no plywood or particle board licence yet shipments continued, so enforcement at the port determines the benefit
- Panel cost is the dominant input for furniture makers, so protection upstream raises the cost base downstream