Angola collects $9 billion from timber exports in three months
Nine million dollars were deposited in Angolan commercial banks, from September to December, in favor of the national exporters of sawn timber.
The publication of this amount by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry results from the implementation of the measure regarding the obligation to confirm the entry of foreign exchange before the start of the process of exporting timber from the country.
The US $ 9 million comes from the export of 22,341 cubic meters of sawn timber, according to Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Marcos Nhunga, who spoke on Thursday at the end-of-year greetings ceremony.
In the past, revenues from the marketing of wood abroad have benefited other countries to the detriment of Angola.
After a "turbulent" phase characterized by unrestrained and excessive exploitation of forest resources, the forestry sector is currently in a period of stability, according to the minister.
The eastern and southwestern regions of the country were most affected by the over exploitation of forest resources, a situation that threatened the sustainability of forests as a source of raw material and environmental balance.
"The stability achieved is due to the consequent application of a set of measures designed by the Executive aimed at improving and discipline management of forest resources," said Marcos Nhunga.
In relation to the management of forest resources, a new forest regulation was approved and published, construction of six warehouses of forest products in the provinces of Bengo, Benguela, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Luanda and Moxico.
These three warehouses of forest products are already under experimental regime in the provinces of Bengo, Cuando Cubango and Luanda.
In terms of forest production, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry says it has recorded relatively low levels of production of the main forest products compared to the production indicators provided for in the National Development Plan 2018/2022.
In 2018, 54 thousand 891 cubic meters of natural forest log wood and 34 thousand cubic meters of log wood were produced in forest plantations.
