Britain may lift ban on Indonesian plywood

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian plywood products may be allowed to enter the British market again after officials met with British buyers to clarify allegations the plywood was made from illegal timber.

Forestry Industry Revitalization Agency (BRIK) head Soewarni told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday British buyers had indicated they would revoke the ban after the Indonesian government recently issued a statement over the legality of the plywood.

"We have recently met, and convinced the buyers along with the British government and timber associations over the legality of the wood used for the plywood. They appeared to have agreed with us," Soewarni said.

She said during the two-day meeting on Feb. 5 and Feb. 6, the Indonesian delegation met with the Tropical Forest Trust, the British International Development Department, global environmental group Greenpeace, the Environmental Investigation Agency, Down to Earth and industry representatives.

According to Soewarni, the businesses, timber associations and British government officials would visit the country in April or May, to ensure Indonesian had adopted timber sustainability requirements set by the foreign buyers and associations.

Britain has banned Indonesian plywood products since November last year following a report by Greenpeace, which alleged about 90 percent of Indonesian plywood exported to Britain was made of illegally cut timber.

Buyers could not accept the plywood because the British government had signed an agreement with the Indonesian government two years ago to reject all forestry-based products suspected of being produced from illegally cut logs, the BRIK said.

At least 17 local companies businesses had been affected by the ban, the BRIK said.

Indonesia exported about five million tons of plywood last year, generating revenue of about US$450 million.