Log exports for the year up to July dipped slightly compared to last year with 69,624 cubic metres of logs exported for this year compared to 74,605 cubic metres for the same period last year.
For July this year, 8669 cubic metres of logs were exported, a rise from the 6886 cubic metres exported in June, according to data supplied by the Forest Products Development & Marketing Council of Guyana Inc. For this year up to July, earnings from log exports amounted to US$13.6 million compared to US$12.2 million for the same period last year.
China and India continue to be the main market for logs with over 99 percent of logs exported in June destined for the two countries. China was the biggest market for logs. Recently, Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman told Stabroek News that despite being pressed to do so, logging companies are not moving with alacrity to set-up valued-added processing facilities and he plans to meet with several in the coming weeks.
Trotman, in June had said that should controversial Chinese company Baishanlin and equally contentious Indian company Vaitarna not produce value-added products by the end of the year, their contracts could be terminated.
Two weeks ago, when asked about progress in moving towards value-added processing, Trotman said that it is safe to say that it has not happened and government is engaged in ongoing discussions with the companies. Recently, he said, he placed a hold on the export of locust logs. “It is believed that these were being taken out of the country without a sizeable amount being made available for local furniture manufacturers,” he had disclosed.
The minister said that he is hoping to have a meeting with Baishanlin, in particular, about that issue and intends to use the meeting as an opportunity to open the door to some other things.
He said too that Vaitarna has requested a meeting with him because they have apprehended the government’s displeasure at the slow pace at which they are rolling out their proposed plans.
