Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation will allow logging and export from private forest plantations by local and foreign investors

Ministry of Resource and Environmental Conservation will now allow logging and export from private forest plantations by local and foreign investors.

The government, attempting to protect the environment and prevent deforestation in Myanmar, banned export of whole logs, in April 2014, with the exception of processed wood products. 

Following the ban, the volume of exports dropped significantly from $900 million in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, to $200 million in recent years. 

“We have proposed allowing logging to the Ministry, and will allow the export of logs from private forests as soon as we have approval from the cabinet. This is a move to lure interest from investors to grow our private forest,” said U Tin Tun, Director of the Department of Forestry under the Ministry of Resource and Environmental Conservation. 

There are a million acres of privately owned forests, but teak production from private forests are not ready yet because the trees are only around 12 years old. However, other kinds of timber that grows faster such as Eucalyptus are ready for logging, U Tin Tun added. 

The young trees that are being grown for high quality timber are not ready for production yet; therefore, in order to get high quality timber, private timber businesses need to depend on timber produced by the government, who are selling logs through tenders. 

In the regulation set by Myanmar Investment Commission for foreign companies, meant for those who want to invest in the logging sector, the article specifies that foreign sawmills are required to grow their own forests. The private sector believes that allowing log export will lure more interest from foreign investors. 

As of 2014, Myanmar’s forests still covered 70% of the country’s land, and offered wood varieties like teak, padauk, thinlwin, tamalan and many others. Both hardwoods and softwoods come from natural forests and plantations.

Teak trees can grow as high as 130 feet, and it is an exceptional wood for crafting furniture. It is one of the few woods in the world that contains a natural oil, that helps it repel water and pests. It’s weather resistant, pest resistant, low maintenance, and of course looks beautiful. 

Teak is used to make furniture, flooring, and even sail boats. If you compare building a chair from teak verses plastic, building with wood is energy efficient and doesn't harm the environment.

Padauk is reddish wood is simply exquisite to look. It is one of the more decorative hardwoods and some of the finest padauk is found in Myanmar. The reddish tinge turns into a brown over time. Its highly visible grain is interlocked and its texture quite coarse. Its higher density makes it tougher to work with. Of all these Myanmar Padauk is the toughest and heaviest.

(Myanmar Business Today: https://www.mmbiztoday.com/articles/myanmar-allow-logging-private-forests )

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