The forest sector earned around $156 million in export earnings for the last two years, the Minister for Forests, Osea Naiqamu said.

While delivering his speech in Parliament yesterday, Mr Naiqamu said 52 per cent of these earnings were from pine chips and the other 48 per cent saw timber and other types of timber value-added products.

Mr Naiqamu said a study in 2007 showed that the forest sector contributed approximately over $543 million annually in terms of ecosystem services.

“Government has demonstrated its commitment to protecting Fiji’s forests with its ecosystem services through the preservation and protection of reserves and conservation areas throughout Fiji.

“The Ministry has a crucial responsibility for ensuring the sustainability of the 1.1 million hectares of Fiji’s forests for social, economic and environmental purposes,” he said.

Mr Naiqamu said Fiji had secured $US3.8million ($F7.8m) from Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) to support its REDD Plus Readings Programme with co-funding support from the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ).

He said the main activities in the programme were institutional strengthening and the development of the National REDD Plus Strategic Action Plan.

Mr Naiqamu said Fiji had secured itself a place within the FCPF Carbon Fund Pipeline for the phase of funding.

New mobile treatment

to arrive

For the first time, the Ministry of Forestry will soon provide timber treatment services to rural communities.

It will become a reality after the arrival of a new mobile timber treatment plant next month.

This was revealed by Mr Naiqamu in Parliament yesterday.

He said the timber treatment plant was specifically designed to conform to the Ministry’s regulations and environmental protection standards.

Mr Naiqamu said to address the long standing issue of pine utilisation in the maritime areas was the successful launch of operations of the Narocake pine processing centre in Gau.

He said the Narocake pine processing centre provided timber for the island of Gau and also nearby islands affected by Tropical Cyclone Winston.

Mr Naiqamu said the Ministry had significantly invested in the improvement of livelihoods targeting rural communities with a total investment of approximately $2 million in machines, infrastructure, training and implementation.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

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