‘Branding focus’ Long-term mahogany sustainability goal

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THE licensing regime brought about after the Act passed in 2011 made mahogany a lot more inaccessible, says acting Prime Minister and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

Speaking during the launch of the Fiji Hardwood Corporation Ltd Gap Analysis and Roadmap Report yesterday, he said the licensing allowed only a particular regime of people to harvest the mahogany.

“That was the critical first step,” he said. He said branding of mahogany was also important.

“It is also critically important to have the branding, to be able to distinguish Fijian mahogany from other mahogany in the world.

“If you go to Europe, and you want to sell mahogany, and if you say it’s from somewhere in South America, and somewhere in the Amazon, and it’s actually from, you know, virgin forest, you won’t actually get much of market.

“But if you say that you brought your mahogany from planted forest, where the resource owners actually get a fair stake in the harvest station, of course, where you are able to have a certification, we have actually a licensing regime, and then the value of the mahogany goes up.

“And that is what we are after.” Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it was unfortunate that many people in the industry did not realise this long-term vision.

“Unfortunately, many of the players in the industry do not see that long-term goal or vision of sustainability, they’re here to make the money here now.

“And that has always been the problem; in fact, it’s an overall problem in many parts of the world with the forest industry.”

He said the report launched by the FHCL was to ensure that mahogany plantations under FHCL Fiji get the FSC certification.