Problems faced by Malaysian timber products in global market
Copyright 2001 New Straits Times (Malaysia)
October 2, 2001
By K. T. Chelvi
THE biggest stumbling block to greater access to, and acceptability of, our timber products in the global market, especially Europe, seems to be the widespread doubt about the sustainable management of our forest.
This has also caused many developed nations to ignore the home-grown timber certification programme formulated by the Malaysian Timber Certification Council.
Minister of Primary Industries Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik said that the country was facing an uphill task trying to convince consumers of developed nations of Malaysia s sustainable forest management programme. "To allow for the greater marketability of our timber products in the international market we recently formulated our own criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.
"We also implemented a certification system to certify our production forest as being sustainably managed," said Lim who explained it was to show the world that Malaysia was indeed practising sustainable forest management.
Lim was opening the International Conference on Forestry and Forest Product Research in Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.
The Malaysian criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management were based on the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) criteria and indicators.
Lim said that the ITTO, which comprised tropical timber producing developing countries and the developed countries who were prospective buyers, was very much aware of this certification process. "Yet strangely, ITTO members, especially the developed countries, are not according due recognition to our certification process.
"No positive information on this has been conveyed by the developed nation members to their Governments and consumers."
Many enviromentally-conscious developed nations were more comfortable with the certification accorded by the Mexico-based non-governmental organisation Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Prior to the existence of the home grown certification system, many local timber exporters were left with no choice but to adopt the FSC label in order to gain market entry.
Yet, now, despite the existence of the our own certification process, timber exporters were still forced to adopt the more trusted FSC certification which allowed for easier market access.
Lim said that the Government s effort to promote the Malaysian National Certification process was also being hampered by the non-co-operation of the FSC itself and fellow developing nations.
"All this indicates that the FSC does not want to lose its monopoly in certification," said Lim.