YANGON, Sept.12 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities will allow resumption of timber production under limit in the next fiscal year of 2017-18 despite suspension of logging during the current fiscal year of 2016-17, official media reported Monday.
Timber extraction was forced to come to a halt this year in the face of excessive deforestation in previous years.
The allowance of resumption of timber production in the next fiscal year under certain limit is aimed at preventing entrepreneurs engaged in the industry from suffering shortage of raw materials but the volume of extraction will be reduced, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation was quoted as saying.
The ministry will make a sustained effort at reforestation and conservation in the forest across Myanmar, officials of the ministry said.
Three schemes are being laid down with the timber extractive industry with the first one being that timber production is allowed every two years to fulfill the requirement of raw materials for the value-added export products.
The second scheme allows timber production only for self-sufficiency, while the third one permits import of products substituting wood to fulfill the local requirement for raw materials.
In July, Myanmar forestry authorities announced suspension of wood logging along Bago Yoma mountain range in the central part of the country.
The number of teak trees in Myanmar has gradually declined due to illegal logging.
Statistics show that forest coverage in Myanmar decreased to 45 percent in 2015 from over 57 percent in 1990.
However, the ministry is planning to replant teak in Bago mountain range in a bid to protect natural resources.
Myanmar is one of the most resource-rich countries in Southeast Asia covered by 38 percent mixed deciduous forests, 25 percent hills and temperate evergreen forests.
The logging volume of teak and hardwood in the fiscal year 2012-2013 reached 925,050 tons, according to figures.
Meanwhile, Myanmar government has restricted wood logs export to encourage more export of value added wood products since 2014.
