Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has issued an immediate ban on the export of raw veneer materials in an effort to protect the country’s environmental future.
This action, announced on Tuesday, August 27, is expected to reshape the timber industry and redirect efforts toward sustainable practices in Kenya.
Veneers, which are thin layers of wood bonded to other wood surfaces, have become a valuable commodity in global trade, particularly in markets such as India and China.
However, the unregulated and premature harvesting of trees for veneer production has alarmed both environmentalists and local manufacturers alike.
A recent NTV Investigation exposed the troubling reality of indiscriminate logging, primarily of eucalyptus trees, by foreign nationals.
This practice not only jeopardizes Kenya’s reforestation efforts but also harms the country’s economy by avoiding local tax obligations.
Kenya’s timber manufacturers have been raising the alarm for months, claiming that unchecked activities have cost the country nearly a billion shillings in revenue over the last three months.
Despite a formal ban on eucalyptus exports to China, the export of eucalyptus veneers has continued unabated, raising concerns about the sustainability of Kenya’s forests.
CS Duale announced that the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) would no longer issue “no objection” letters for raw veneer exports.
This directive is expected to immediately halt the export of these materials.
This is an effort to reduce premature tree harvesting while also aligning with the government’s overall environmental goals.
The suspension of veneer exports is a critical step toward supporting Kenya’s National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy.
This ambitious plan aims to restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes by planting 15 billion trees, with the ultimate goal of reaching 30 percent tree cover by 2032.
Duale’s decision demonstrates the government’s unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability, which is now being enforced through regulatory action.
Reports of immature trees being harvested from farmlands emphasize the need for this ban.
By halting the export of raw veneer, the government hopes to ensure that these trees mature and contribute more effectively to the country’s reforestation efforts.
Kenya’s veneer industry has long provided both economic opportunity and environmental concern.
While exporting veneer sheets and plywood materials to countries such as China has generated significant revenue—$3.87 million (about Ksh498,726,900 at current exchange rates) in 2023 alone—the cost to Kenya’s environment has been high.
The unchecked logging practices that have emerged since the lifting of the logging ban have threatened to undo years of reforestation and environmental conservation efforts.
The decision by CS Duale to prohibit raw veneer exports marks a turning point.
It represents a shift from reactive to proactive environmental policy, with the government taking a firm stance against practices that jeopardize the country’s natural assets.
This move is expected to galvanise industry stakeholders to adopt more sustainable practices and support the government’s mission to restore Kenya’s landscapes.
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