Myanmar: Government Orders Cut in Teak Production, Bans Private Timber Operations

Jan 29, 2018 | Thazin Hlaing, Irrawaddy
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The government has ordered timber production be reduced by 40 percent in the 2017-18 fiscal year, while banning private timber operations altogether, according to the Naypyitaw Forestry Department. The department will oversee the production of only 15,000 tons of teak and 350,000 tons of hardwood from forests across the country. According to the department, the state-owned Myanma Timber Enterprise has a quota to cut down 19,200 teak trees and 592,330 timber trees annually, but this fiscal year it will harvest only 10,620 teak trees and 193,412 other timber trees.