Authorities are planning to reduce teak and hardwood production by 2019-20 FY, said Ohn Win, Union Minister for Resource and Environmental Conservation on December 21.
The union minister said the respective state and region governments should provide help to establish plantations in state owned land plots. All state and region governments need to supervise to ensure that laws, by-laws and rules and regulations are followed.
Myanmar produced over 300,000 tons of teak in 2013-14 FY and production declined after the government stopped the export of raw timber from April 1 2014. It exported just over 14,000 tons of teak in 2017-18 FY, according to Central Statistic Department of Myanma Timber Enterprise.
Myanmar produced over 329,000 tons of teak and over 1.2 billion tons of hardwood in 2013-14 FY, over 128,000 tons of teak and over 613,000 tons of hardwood in 2014-15 FY, over 71,000 tons of teak and over 621,000 tons of hardwood in 2015-16 FY, over 50,000 tons of teak and over 473,000 tons of hardwood in 2016-17 FY and over 14,800 tons of teak and over 221,000 tons of hardwood in 2017-18 FY, according to announcements from Myanma Timber Enterprise.
Forest coverage was 44.54 per cent in 2013-14 FY in Myanmar and declined to 41.3 per cent in 2017-18 FY. It is continuously declined, according to the Central Statistic Department.
Forest coverage is declined to 44.54 per cent in 2013-14 FY, 43.73 per cent in 2014-15 FY, 42.92 per cent in 2015-16 FY, 42.11 per cent in 2016-17 FY and 41.3 per cent in 2017-18 FY.
Myanmar stood in third place behind Brazil and Indonesia in the list of most forest erosion countries over the world, said Than Dine, Director General of the ministry during a press conference held on May 17 at Ministry of Information.
“Forest coverage area in Myanmar is declining and is currently in third place behind Brazil and Indonesia. The countries where the biggest forest coverage area existed are the most forest erosion countries,” said the director general.
The present government is planning to re-establish to expand forest area under ten-year plan.
The union minister said the government will implement to form 30 per cent of total areas of Myanmar as reserve forest areas by 2030 latest.
