Half of Myanmar logging is illegal

The Environmental Investigation Agency has scrutinised official figures on log harvests and timber exports over 15 years. During 2000-2013 official exports accounted for only 28% of all recorded trade in Myanmar logs.

The study also found official harvest volumes were only 53% of imports, leaving 47% of all logging illegal.

"The government's official data on forestry and timber exports reveals endemic illegal logging and timber smuggling - crime only possible through institutionalised corruption on a huge scale," said EIA forest campaign leader Faith Doherty.

When discounting log transits across the land border with China, which Myanmar deems illegal, official export volumes were still 38% of recorded imports, indicating 62% of log exports - about 8 million m3 - were unauthorised, EIA said.

Myanmar has some of Asia's largest remaining expanses of forest, but forest cover shrank from 58% of the land area in 1990 to 47% in 2010, according to Forestry Ministry data.

Myanmar's new reformist government has said it will ban exports from April 1, in a sector that provided crucial funding to the country's former military rulers. The EIA said the ban was not enough and called on the government to stop favouring cronies and to prosecute those involved in illegal logging and timber smuggling.