Gurugram (Haryana) [India], December 1 (HBTV): Yamaha Corporation and Overseas Traders, an Indian lumber company that supplies Indian rosewood for acoustic and electric guitars worldwide, have entered into an agreement to jointly promote and manage Indian rosewood. The agreement, dated November 2025, aims to strengthen sustainable forest conservation and the long-term management of Indian rosewood.
Yamaha and Overseas Traders will collaborate to establish a sustainable supply chain for Indian rosewood, covering all stages from forest sourcing to the final product. They will also work together on research and development related to the species’ conservation.
Wood is central to many Yamaha instruments, including pianos, string instruments and woodwinds. However, concerns have emerged about declining resources and the quality of certain wood species. To ensure a stable supply of high-quality material, Yamaha has been implementing the Otonomori (Forest of Sound) Project alongside local communities, governments and academic institutions in regions such as Tanzania and Hokkaido, Japan. The project promotes circular and sustainable forest management.
Indian rosewood, a key material for guitars, is among the most valuable tree species native to southern India. Since 2022, Yamaha has been studying the local supply chain in Karnataka, examining forest management practices, material processing and the natural regeneration of Indian rosewood. Although the species is largely sourced from state-managed forests, limited natural regeneration has raised sustainability concerns.
To address these challenges and expand local Otonomori activities, Yamaha has launched a joint research initiative with Overseas Traders, which will serve as the local implementation partner. Working with local research institutions and government authorities, the project will conduct reforestation trials, assess material utilisation efficiency and develop a community-based conservation model.
‘We are excited to enter into this partnership, which reflects our long-term efforts toward the sustainable conservation of Indian rosewood through close collaboration with a local company,’ said Kazushi Nakai, project manager of the Otonomori Project at Yamaha. ‘By joining forces as two companies engaged in the timber supply chain for musical instruments, we aim to conserve forest resources and use them responsibly, while accumulating scientific evidence to ensure the long-term sustainability of Indian rosewood. Through co-creation with local communities, we work to build a sustainable ecosystem for future generations.’
‘We at Overseas Traders, a third-generation exporter of Indian rosewood for musical instruments, join hands with Yamaha Corporation in a shared mission to ensure sustainable and ethical wood sourcing,’ said Ankit Yogi, managing partner of Overseas Traders. ‘Through this partnership, both Overseas Traders and Yamaha are committed to restoring rosewood populations in India while supporting Yamaha’s global sustainability efforts such as the Otonomori Project. We believe this collaboration brings together craftmanship with environmental responsibility — securing the future of tonewood and forest ecosystems.’
(ANI)