By Bradley Mariori
With the National Government’s plan to ban the export of round logs by 2025, a nationally established and owned logging group in Morobe is prepared to help the logging industry from 2025 and beyond.
Morobe Timbers Consortium Limited (MTCL) which was formed by 30 plus Forest Industry Participant (FIP) holders are eyeing the logging market which is currently headed mainly by foreigners.
The group held a meeting last weekend with the people of Bukawa in Labuta LLG and they are planning to build a Forest Industrial Park for logs, which will be bought from the government and then processed and sold here locally or exported overseas.
MTCL Chairman, Enoch Tim said they are affiliated with PNG Kumul Diwai Limited; a business arm of the National Forest Service and they are ready to help the government in downstream processing of natural resources in the country.
He said with MTCL, the government will acquire logs through State Purchase Option Agreement and then MTCL will buy logs from the government and have it sorted and processed at their yard in Bukawa which will be a market place for logs with storage, processing areas, and other set ups for plywood and other log products.
He said they can process around 5-6000 cubic metres of logs at the storage and processing centre.
His Deputy, Gordon Todd said they are in preparation to maintain log income and what plans government have to double revenue from logs. He said they got consent from landowners at Bukawa to build the storage facility there and all have agreed.
