Minister Trotman meets with lumber yard and hardware reps

Aug 06, 2017 News

– Focuses on impact of large quantities of imported pine wood

On Friday last, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman met with several lumber yard and hardware representatives to discuss the reduction in importation of foreign pine wood which is in demand, particularly the United States.
A release from the ministry indicated that, “This meeting was part of the Ministry’s ongoing consultations with stakeholders on the impact of large quantities of imported pine wood on the local timber industry.”
The local hardware dealer and lumber suppliers explained the challenges they face upon supplying “quality local lumber for their customers” during the gathering. Local lumber not being correctly ‘kiln-dried’ was among the challenges as well as “uncertainty of supply”. Although workers expressed their interest to vend local lumber, the burden of the undependability from forest operators overruled.
According to the operators, customers have shown interest in the imported pine wood which proves to be in more reliable supply and in some cases is also of greater quality when compared to some types of local lumber. Businesses represented in the meeting were Jettoo’s Lumber Yard, Gafoor’s, National Hardware, Builder’s Lumber Yard and Chetram’s.
“These dealers were informed that because Guyana will be initialing the Voluntary Partnership Agreement with the European Union as part of the EU-FLEGT, all imports of forest products into Guyana will have to satisfy strict guidelines regarding legality of their source,” the release stated.
Suppliers said the issues that present themselves are as a result of deficient finances which allow the capital investments to get products to the standard of the imported lumber.
The Minister expounded on the fact that higher standard of products must be produced to revise demand on the imported product. He said that an import permit can be implemented due to the fact that Guyana is known for its forestry, and this initiative of the country resorting to foreign lumber is unsatisfactory. The Minister did clarify, however, that it is not their intent to “ban imports of foreign wood.”
Conversations with the businesses within the forestry division and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) along with the Forest Products Development and Marketing Council Guyana Inc have led to the Ministry of Natural Resources deciding to support an exhibition during the latter part of October 2017. The exhibition will allow producers the opportunity of marketing unpopular species of wood which can be substituted for imported lumber.
According to the release, “The Ministry will continue to hold meetings with the forestry stakeholders and businesses with a view to formulating solutions that are sustainable and which will redound to the benefit of the forestry sector.”

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