GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of Forestry and Research (MFR) is yet to receive any formal confirmation of a potential teak buyer from overseas to teak from local farmers.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary (PS) Banabas Anga revealed this yesterday during the official opening of a three days forest inventory backstopping –NFI sampling design workshop held at the Honiara Hotel on Tuesday.
In response to question asked by the Solomon Star as to when government might start to export teak trees Mr Anga said; “not at the moment because although there are interested overseas buyers the ministry has not made any formal arrangement with the buyers.”
The forestry PS said, once buyers are ready all the teak farmers would be informed.
Representatives from Fiji Forestry Department, Secretariat of the Pacific Committee (SPC), Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, private sectors and non-government organisation (NGO) in Honiara attended the workshop.
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) funded the training in a joint effort with SPC and in collaboration with other government ministries and overseas agencies.
By DENVER NEWTER
