Lumber shortage…Barama releasing huge quantity to local market

Aug 26, 2011 News

Yesterday, Barama Company Limited (BCL) said it will make one million board feet (approximately 2,358 m3) of lumber available to the local market.
The company, known more for its plywood manufacturing, said current stock includes bulletwood, burada, dakamaballi, darina, greenheart, huruasa, kabukalli, locust, mora, purpleheart and red cedar in varying lengths and volumes.
Consumers have been complaining of paying high prices and not readily acquiring supplies.
Government has since said that a number of projects have been placed on hold because of the shortages.
Several forest concession holders met with Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud, the Private Sector Commission and other players, last Monday. Another meeting is set for today, involving more stakeholders like contractors and sawmillers.
“We would like to commend the Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana Forestry Commission, Forests Products Association, Private Sector Commission, Guyana Manufacturing Services Association and the Forest Products Development & Marketing Council for responding to the call of local consumers and pursuing this matter vigorously,” BCL said in a release yesterday.
The Malaysian-owned company said its Guyana experience has shown that the forest is very diverse in its species composition.
“As a result, it is paramount that consumers be educated about the variety of species available and their suitability for different applications. There are many species that can be grouped into common user groups and can therefore be used as substitutes for each other. Such an approach will add greater value to our forest resources and relieve the high constant demand for certain species.”

Some of the lumber that Barama says it will release to be sold to the local market, in wake of shortages and high prices.

This has been Barama’s focus over the years and has resulted in over 40 species being selected for harvesting in accordance with the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) guidelines.
The most recent addition to this list is a lesser used species called Dakamaballi.”
Another important aspect to be considered in educating the consumer, BCL urged, should be the encouragement of the use of varying lengths in certain applications such as flooring, walling, decking and ceiling.
“This will allow for greater recovery in sawmilling process, increase availability and should impact positively on the price of lumber locally. As stated above, we have available a variety of species and lengths at varying volumes while stocks last.”
On Monday, government announced immediate measures that will see only forest concessionaires being allowed to export, in wake of the complaints.
A number of major logging companies, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Forest Products Association (FPA), also pointed out that there was too much dependence on a few species of wood including greenheart and purpleheart, even though others are available.