No sign of reversal of UK ban on Greenheart exports

Talks are ongoing about lifting the ban on the exportation of local Greenheart to the United Kingdom (UK) but the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) says there is no sign that there will be a reversal of the embargo anytime soon.

Head of the Forestry Commission, James Singh told a stakeholders’ consultation on Friday that a video conference and a site visit are among the plans being discussed.

“We don’t have signs that it will be lifted but what we do have is a commitment by the UK Agency of Environment that there will be dialogue. Therefore, we’re very optimistic that we will make some headway this year,” Singh stated in response to a question posed by a participant at the event which was held at the GFC’s Headquarters in Kingston, Georgetown.

Singh said the plan is to have a video conference with the UK officials and a subsequent site visit to observe the practices in the local forestry sector.

The GFC Head assured there is no threat to the sustainability of greenheart and this is supported by a study which it had undertaken.

The Government has been in talks with the UK, since the ban came into effect in May 2015, to have it reversed. It was imposed by the UK Environment Agency.

Reports indicate that the embargo saw a dramatic drop in exports to the UK, moving from US$3.2M in 2014 to US$1M in 2015.

The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) blamed the incorrect labelling of Guyana’s forest management practices by activists for the ban.

However, the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) has stated that Guyana was one of only six tropical forest-producing countries in the world practising sustainable forestry management at the forest- concession level.