Georgetown: The first shipment of local value-added timber destined for the United Kingdom (UK) is currently being loaded for shipping, signalling Guyana’s entry into the European timber market.
Over one million Board Measure (BM) of processed greenheart worth some US$2.5 million is being exported in this shipment. Five suppliers had to combine in order to achieve the desired quantity and quality in a timely manner.
At the John Fernandes Wharf in Stabroek workers were busily loading the timber off trucks and onto a vessel under the watchful eyes of officials from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
Speaking to the media during the recent loading process, Managing Director of the timber buying company, Howard and Aitken Limited (UK), Roderick Aitken emphasised that indeed it should be a great deal for local timber producers, given the quantity of wood being shipped on the first shipment to the UK.
He explained that greenheart timber is primarily used in large engineering projects throughout the UK and Europe, ranging from bridge construction and marine defence projects to oil industry projects.
It was noted that Aitken and Howard’s stated buying policy is for suppliers to do as much downstream processing in-country as possible. This would enable the local suppliers to see higher profit margins while generating more employment in the associated industries.
Aitken emphasised that it was largely due to the Wood Tracking System (WTS) that they were able to import the timber into the European market. “The WTS gives us and our customers a very high degree of confidence that the lumber is all traceable and the logs have been felled in accordance with the GFC code of practice. It cannot be underestimated how important these traceability schemes are to the end customer and are a part of the requirements to export to Europe.”
Also on hand at the loading were two of the suppliers who briefly spoke to the media on what the shipment meant for them as timber producers and exporters.
Justin Habidullah of Parika Saw Mills noted that this shipment has propelled his company onto the international scene. He also made mention of the fact that there was enhanced traceability on this shipment of timber.
“We can actually tell you where the stump is for every piece of timber we have cut for this market,” Habidullah boasted.
Another exporter lamented that it took his company just over two months to produce its share of the timber. The representative of Sustainable Forestry Inc noted that this shipment signalled an increase in buyers’ confidence in the Guyanese market.
Deputy Commissioner of Forests, Tasreef Khan noted that the shipment was unique in that it is only taking processed, sawn timber to the UK.
He noted that in the past there had been shipments of processed timber leaving Guyana, but they would have been mixed with logs.
In Guyana’s National Forest Policy and other relevant policy documents, it is articulated that State Forest resources are part of the patrimony of all Guyanese. The Government, in the past, emphasised that these resources must be accessed in keeping with the legal framework, and sustainably harvested in keeping with social and environmental global best practices, adapted to the local situation.
Direct and indirect stakeholders in the Forestry Sector have been provided with extensive training to fully understand the concept and content of the guidelines, and be better equipped to use them.
Over the past decade, the Government of Guyana working collaboratively with Private Sector Groups such as the Forest Products Association (FPA); the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) and the Community Forestry Associations (CFAs) have been able to implement several initiatives that have led to a more enabling environment for the manufacture of in-country value-added forest products.
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