Gabon boule export ban mooted
28 November 2011The export of boules from Gabon looks like it has been banned by the government, though concrete details are yet to emerge, according to the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO).
Traders are still unsure whether they will be allowed to complete contracts before the ban is enforced.
Exporters have also been told they might not be able to load containers at producer mills but at a site managed by state port operator SEPBG instead and under the supervision of customs and forestry department officials to ensure shipments are correctly documented.
Meanwhile, in Ghana wood product export volumes fell by 18% in value to €85.9m and 16% in volume to 259,151m³ in the first nine months of 2011.
The Ghana Timber Industry Development Division says the decline was due to lack of logs supplies and sawmillers’ operational challenges.
Plywood was the biggest export product at 87,638m³, followed by KD sawn timber at 46,202m³.