(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – Four Surinamese lumber firms have received financial support from the Inter American Development Bank (IDB). The funds will be used to boost their export potential to the Caribbean. ‘We want to improve the quality of our product,’ says Gregory Markiet of Remas NV, one of the participating firms associated in the Foundation of Durable Wood Processing Suriname (SWPS).
Last week, executives and staff of the four firms concluded training on safety. In addition to the US$ 150,000 by the IDB, the firms will invest US$ 65,000 from their own resources. ‘Our internal processes have to improve because buyers want to know the history of our product. They want to know the exact location where the lumber originates from, so we have contracted a Surinamese IT firm to develop a system which will allow others to trace the origin of our product in detail,’ Markiet points out. The firms produce parquet floors, doors and furniture. They want to work with standard measurements used on the international market.
An expert from Great Britain recently came to Suriname to advise on how to improve the product’s quality. For now the firms direct their efforts at export to the Caribbean; some export to Trinidad and Tobago and Curacao. However, the firms plan to increase production and explore more markets. When production is at a good level they want to seek attachment of the ‘Made in Suriname’ label to their product in order to increase export opportunities.
