Representatives of the union in Nicaragua announced that this year they plan to plant between 1,200 and 1,500 hectares, which will be added to the 28,000 already planted in recent years.
In relation to the plans for this year, Salvador Mayorga Sacasa, president of the National Reforestation Association, informed Elnuevodiario.com.ni that "..." this year we expect to increase by between 1,200 and 1,500 hectares.It's a small amount, really, because the country could grow in this sector much more.'"
In 2016, Central American countries exported $223 million worth of wood and its manufactures, and the value exported to India grew by 20% compared to 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Central American Market for Wood and its Manufactures, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the chart"]
It has been announced that in the coming weeks a system will be implemented that will allow online management of permits for exports of round and processed wood.
Representatives from the National Association of Reforestors (Confor) explained that the current process of obtaining export permits takes about 7 days, but with the new digital system, the time is expected to be reduced to two or three days.
A new law promises to reduce, from three weeks to three days, the deadline for completing the procedures required to export timber.
The new regulation agreed by consensus between the National Reforestation Association (Confor) and the government will take effect in about 15 days, according to statements made by the president of Confor to Elnuevodiario.com.ni.
The Ortega administration has authorized the suspension for one year on the ban on cutting, harvesting and marketing of timber from pine trees in the country.
Decree 02-2017 was published in the official newspaper La Gaceta on January 13 and states:"... it is suspended throughout the national territory, including protected areas, the ban on cutting, harvesting, transportation and marketing of pine trees for a period of 12 months, which may be extended with the support of studies and technical and administrative recommendations made by the National Forestry Institute (Inafor), with the approval of the National Forestry Commission (CONAFOR)."
The ban on cutting, using, and selling forest resources has been extended for ten more years, with the exception of pine trees.
A decree branded as "confusing"by industry representatives, extends the logging ban in the country until 2026, for the species set out in Article 1 of Law No. 585.
2016-2017 forecast: 1.6 million hectares in cropland, cattle slaughter at 795,000 head and milk production raging between 275 million and 300 million gallons.
The Plan for Production, Consumption and Trade in the 2016-2017 Cycle includes details of the Nicaraguan government's projections for the agricultural, livestock, poultry, aquaculture and forestry sectors for the current year and the next.
Forestry businesses are opposed to the government's decision to suspend logging in the northern part of the country and attributed the measure to unjustified pressure from environmental groups.
Entrepreneurs from Nueva Segovia stated that the government's action will be counterproductive for economic activity in the area, where forest areas have been maintained under appropriate conditions and without pests such as weevils, thanks to the cutting and reforestation works they claim to be doing.
The Nicaraguan Forestry Institute is preparing a bill which proposes giving monetary incentives to small producers with plantations of 1-10 hectares.
This measure seeks to benefit more than 3000 SMEs which sell timber produced in their plantations. Large companies fall outside this law, because they are already covered by the Tax Concentration Act.
Entrepreneurs from Chile and Central America will be gathering together in San Jose from November 5th to 7th to explore business opportunities in the wood sector.
The event entitled 'Business Meeting on Forestry and Timber in Central American and the Caribbean' is being organized by the Trade Commission of Chile in Costa Rica (ProChile) and is expected to draw more than 20 entrepreneurs and exporters with the aim of striking deals with Central American countries.
Through a decree the Ortega government has authorized the lifting for one year of the ban on harvesting, utilization and marketing of wood from pine trees in the country.
The ban was implemented ten years ago with the enactment of a law for both wood and pine trees as well as cedar, mahogany and kapok kapok, species for which the ban still applies.
The forestry sector has indicated there is arbitrariness on the part of the authorities in the implementation of the new law and bureaucratic barriers to production and exports.
Manufacturers and exporters of wooden have complained to the authorities of the National Forestry Institute (Inafor) over lack of precision in the implementation of the law, creating delays and cost overruns in the marketing process of wood.
It has been estimated that China will require 800 million cubic meters of timber in 2020.
From a statement issued by Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office:
A study by the State Forestry Administration (SFA) in China shows that the country's timber demand will rise to 800 million cubic meters in 2020. The Chinese government plans to build a billion square meters of green buildings between 2011 and 2015 and expects that by 2015 20% of new urban buildings will be ecological.
Between 2011 and 2013 forest loss decreased by 9.6% due to the implementation of a national plan for reforestation and a reduction in losses from wildfires.
Data from the National Forestry Institute (Inafor) states that "... the average amount of deforestation, which according to the National Forest Inventory is 70,000 hectares, dropped to 63,270 hectares (with) the latest data from 2011 to 2013."