AFRICA ROLLING OUT NEW POLICIES ON WOOD EXPORT

GABON:

The government in Gabon has approved the long discussed new regulation requiring all sawnwood to be kiln dried before export. The details of which species are included is not yet available.

It is rumoured that some species only need to be kiln dried if the buyers request this. For other species it appears that, depending on the export market, the requirement for kiln drying may be lifted. This new regulation is expected to be ratified and come into force within weeks.

This move will greatly assist companies that recently invested in kilns but which are under-utilised. The government is confident there is sufficient kilning capacity available and that the trade will add further kilns as necessary to meet the new regulation.

Analysts suggest the new regulation will take into account concerns raised by the timber industry that not all species, such as those for sea defence and other hydraulic or outdoor use, need to be kiln dried.

Saw millers will be waiting to hear the reactions of their buyers and gauging if it is possible to pass on the cost of drying through price increases.

GHANA BANS EXPORT OF ROSEWOOD:

Ghana’s government has issued a national ban on the export of rosewood, a part of the national forest system.

The ban orders the Forestry Commission to stop issuing rosewood licenses, as to protect wildlife and for forests to recover from the current foresting trend, the media in Ghana reported.

“In order to protect the diversity of water resources and species, Ghana should vigorously promote the development of forestry, including the development of bamboo and rattan farming,” John-Peter Amewu, Minister of Land and Natural Resources of Ghana said.

The Minister added that the current situation was critical because the illegal logging is at a high level and this vulnerability accelerates the deterioration of the country’s environment.

Also, the decline in foresting and forest products’ quality has led to the disappearance of many water and wild habitats, which have led to climate change, changes in precipitation patterns, and more changes difficult to predict, while some important commodity tree species such as green Odum and Wawa have also been depleted.

“At the same time, we will work with the Forest Council to strive to develop timber harvesting policies in an accurate and clean manner, as to secure financial support and to strengthen personnel training and assembly in the management of wild flora and fauna,” Amewu added.

The Minister stressed that forest resources continue to be a great potential for the Ghanaian national economy, which has been the world’s most productive ecosystem.