New Delhi, July 3 -- India's implementation of stricter quality control rules to curb imports of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is yielding results, clearing room for growth for domestic wood panel companies.

MDF, an engineered wood, is a popular alternative to traditional wood both because of its higher suitability for products such as modular furniture and its affordability. The Bureau of Indian Standards's rules for MDF imports were implemented in February.

In April, MDF imports declined for a second consecutive month, with volumes falling 27% month-on-month and 69% year-on-year to 2,954 tonnes, showed the latest available government data compiled by ICICI Securities. Most of the imports into India in April were from China (about 37...