Myanmar timber to revive plywood industry in NE

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The Assam Tribune, Guwahati, Saturday, September 17, 2005

Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/

 

Myanmar timber to revive plywood industry in NE

 

By Surajit Khaund

 

GUWAHATI, Sept 16 – India has decided to import soft wood from

Myanmar for revival of the crisis-hit plywood industry in the North

East. The Indian Government move came following approval of the High

Power Committee of the north-eastern region.

 

A huge consignment of soft wood (Teak and Gurjan) comprising one

lakh cubic feet (CFT) is supposed to reach this region within this

week. The Ministry of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Division has

already cleared the consignment after quarantine verification.

 

It may be recalled that after the Supreme Court ban on cutting of

trees in the North East, the wood based industries scattered in

various parts of the region have been facing serious problems. But

the new agreement is likely to give a boost to the industries in the

region. According to available information the six wood- based

industries in the state have been covered under the new pact. Now

all these industries will be able to import teak and Gurjan wood

from Myanmar to meet their requirement.

 

Talking to this correspondent here today, Mrinal Sarma, senior

officer of Ministry of Agriculture Plant Quarantine Division, said

that the new agreement would give a new life to the crisis-hit

plywood industries which remained closed for the last couple years

due to shortage of raw materials. " According to the agreement

another consignment of 2500 CFT will reach the region very soon " , he

said. In this context, he informed that now-a-days plant quarantine

certificate is mandatory for export and import of forest products

and therefore all the consignments have to undergo plant quarantine

test.

 

Immediately after the ASEAN car rally, trade relations between India

and Myanmar have been improving. To keep the momentum going, the

Indian Commerce Ministry has taken a slew of measures to boost

export and import.

 

Sarma informed that `Burmese' teak has a good demand across the

world for its quality and therefore the industries in the region

would be able to woo the customers. " We are optimistic that lot of

wood based industries would come up in the North East after the new

development " , he added.

 

Meanwhile, M/S Kitply Industries have signed a pact No-01/ 2004/2005

(D) (BT) with the Myanmar Timber Enterprise Ahlone, Yangon to import

of teak and Gurjan from Myanmar.