CS Duale Blocks Export Of Raw Veneer To Protect Kenya’s Forests

Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced an immediate suspension of the export of raw veneer materials in a move aimed at safeguarding Kenya’s environmental future.

This move, announced on Tuesday, August 27 in a statement, is expected to reshape the timber industry and refocus efforts on sustainable practices within Kenya.

Veneers, which are thin layers of wood typically bonded to other wood surfaces, have become a valuable commodity in global trade, particularly in markets in India and China.

However, the unregulated and premature harvesting of trees for veneer production has raised alarms among environmentalists and local manufacturers alike. 

An image of wood veneer. /WOOD VENEER

Read the full statement below:

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry announces the suspension of exports of raw veneer materials. This decision takes effect immediately. KFS has further been directed not to issue any “no objection letter” for export.

This suspension is a resolute measure in support of the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy. This strategy, which aims to restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes by planting 15 billion trees, is a testament to the government’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability.

Recent reports have highlighted the premature harvesting of immature trees on farmlands, a practice that threatens the success of the government’s reforestation efforts. By halting the export of raw veneer, the government intends to curb this practice, ensuring trees are allowed to mature and contribute effectively to the national restoration goals.

The government’s commitment to achieving the ambitious 30% tree cover by 2032 is unwavering. The suspension is necessary to safeguard Kenya’s environmental future and should inspire all stakeholders to join us in this crucial endeavour. 

A recent investigation by NTV highlighted the troubling reality of indiscriminate logging, primarily of eucalyptus trees, by foreign nationals.

This practice not only threatens Kenya’s reforestation efforts but also undermines the country’s economy by bypassing local tax obligations.

Kenya’s timber manufacturers have been sounding the alarm for months, claiming that the country has lost nearly a billion shillings in revenue over the past three months due to these unchecked activities.

Despite a formal ban on eucalyptus exports to China, the export of eucalyptus veneers has continued unabated, contributing to a growing concern over the sustainability of Kenya’s forests.

Duale’s decision thus shows the government’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, a commitment that is now being enforced with the full weight of regulatory action.

Reports of immature trees being harvested from farmlands have further pointed to the need for this ban. By halting the export of raw veneer, the government intends to ensure that these trees are allowed to mature, thereby contributing more effectively to the nation’s reforestation efforts. 

The eucalyptus veneers are being processed for export as raw materials to India and China. Kenyan timber manufacturers claim that the country has lost close to a billion shillings in revenue in the last three months due to Chinese and Indian timber processors failing to remit local taxes.

Despite a ban on eucalyptus exports to China, the NTV investigation established that the exports of eucalyptus veneers were ongoing before today’s ban.

The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) had warned that the uncontrolled harvesting of eucalyptus trees could jeopardize Kenya’s 15 billion tree-growing campaign to increase the country’s tree cover by 30 percent in the next decade as a climate mitigation measure. 

President William Ruto participates in a tree-planting exercise at Ngong’ Hills Forest, Kajiado County, in December 2022. /PCS