Mozambique issuing log export ban from next year on

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Mozambique issuing log export ban from next year on

4:50 CAT | 30 Aug 2016

In a measure designed to encourage local processing, exporting whole logs from Mozambique will be banned outright from next year, regardless of the species concerned.

The National Director of Forestry in the Ministry of Land, Environment and Rural Development, Xavier Sakambuera explained that a bill on the subject has already been sent to parliament for review and approval.

The decision should have a significant impact on illegal logging levels and guarantee maintenance of forest species, thus contributing to the environmental sustainability, with the creation of new jobs in the wood processing industry and added benefit.

Latest figures indicate that the current level of timber harvest is between 500 and 670 thousand cubic metres per year. Overall loss of forest is running at about 220 thousand hectares, including the impact of other actions such as wildfires, cultivation, and the construction of housing and other infrastructure.

“Modernisation of technology in the domestic timber industry, adding value to the product at all stages of the chain, will also take place” Sakambuera said, noting that the imminent ban on the export of whole logs would tend to the harmonisation of the selling price of processed wood product country-wide.

A recent assessment found that many forest operators do not meet conditions for the proposed measures, and will lose their operating licenses.

Source: Noticias