Exporters rush to ship timber as deadline looms

The state-owned Myanmar Timber Enterprise has announced a March 31 deadline for the export of all raw timber being shipped from various ports and jetties around Yangon.

Export companies rushed to load heavy logs onto waiting ships and barges from various jetties on the Yangon river after the government has banned the export of raw timber as of April 2014.

“There are six jetties in two ports on Thilawa side while there are 20 in Yangon ports. Out of a total of 26 jetties, the ships landed at 16 jetties are loading the export wood,” an official from Myanmar Port Authority said.

Last year around 186,650 tonnes of raw teak wood was exported from Myanmar, compared to 1.35 million tonnes the year before.

The banning of export of heavy timbers is geared to support local wood-product industries as well as encourage conservation of the country’s dwindling teak forests.

The Myanmar Investment Commission granted permits for the India-based Greenply Industries to start a wood product factory.

Similarly, the government hopes U.S. and EU countries will invest in Myanmar wood businesses, according to the Ministry of Conservation and Forestry.

source: Eleven Myanmar

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