Ghana earns over €12m from wood products in August 2010

Ghana realized Euro 12,506,030 from the export of 36,145 cubic metres of wood products in August, according to the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) Report on Export of Wood Products for August 2010.

The report said the corresponding figures for the same period in 2009 were Euro 12,756,543 and 44,889 cubic metres, representing decreases of 1 point 96 per cent in value and 19.48 per cent in volume respectively.

It said Ghana might continue to experience shortages of wood products exports due to scarcity of commercial timber trees.

The report said environmental degradation of the forest by farmers and illegal operators could be the underlying cause but opportunity still existed for fast growing species and promotion of Lesser Used Species (LUS).

It said, “Of the total value of Euro 92,390,058 for January to August 2010, primary products such as poles and billet accounted for Euro 4,988,902 as compared to Euro 8,761,001 from the total value of Euro 86,123,725 in January to August 2009”.

The report said tertiary products such as moldings, dowels and profile boards registered Euro 6,805,331 in January to August 2010 and Euro 5,332,344 in January to August 2009.

Secondary products including lumber, veneers and boules fetched Euro 85,584,727 in January to August 2010 and Euro 72,030,380 in January to August 2009.

The report said key markets for Ghana’s wood products in Europe included Italy, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Ireland and Holland.

The emerging markets include India, Malaysia, China, Singapore and Thailand.

The report said the United States accounted for 6.6 per cent and 4.19 per cent of the total export value and volume respectively of Ghana’s wood products for January to August 2010 as compared to 5.68 per cent and 4.39 per cent in January to August 2009.

It said ECOWAS markets included Nigeria, Senegal, Niger, Gambia, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo. Markets in the Middle East included Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, United Arab Emirate and Israel, the report said.

Source: GNA