Nghe An aims to become the largest wood processing production center in the North Central region.

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the workshop. Photo: Van Truong

On the morning of March 25 in Vinh City, the Provincial People's Committee organized a "Workshop on orientations and solutions for rapid and sustainable development of the wood and non-timber forest products processing industry in Nghe An province to 2025 with a vision to 2035". Comrades: Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Dinh Viet Hong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired the workshop. Also attending were scientists, experts, and businesses in the field of wood and forest products processing in Vietnam.

Development not commensurate with potential

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nghe An has the largest forest area in the country with over 1,160,000 hectares of forest. The forest planting movement is quite strong, with 15,000 - 19,000 hectares newly planted every year, and the annual output of planted forests reaching 1,659,000 m³.

PanoramaWorkshop. Photo: Van Truong

Wood chip processing reaches 700,000 - 1,000,000 tons/year, annual export turnover is about 110 - 130 million USD. Nghe An forestry has potentials and advantages such as: abundant human resources, intensive forest planting skills and good forest management and protection awareness of the people. Synchronous and convenient traffic infrastructure system to connect regions.

However, the planting of raw material forests and exploitation and processing of forest products in Nghe An province still face difficulties and limitations: Small wood raw material forests account for the majority, there is no area granted FSC forest certification, businesses and investors have approved raw material area planning but are slow or not implementing.

Enterprises mainly exploit and export raw materials (wood chips), do not have deep processing production, have not created a chain of links in production and processing, the main market is China. The development of non-timber forest products in general and medicinal materials in particular is basically stopping at the planning stage...

Comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee introduced plywood products to delegates from Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Van Truong.

In order for the wood processing and non-timber forest products industry to develop commensurate with its potential, Nghe An has proposed solutions from 2020 to 2025: Increase the value of forest production and business, develop sustainable forestry in terms of economy, society and environment. Develop forestry and forest economy along the chain from forest protection management, afforestation, exploitation, processing, and product consumption to increase the value of forest products.

Developing 283,562 hectares of timber plantations (exploiting and replanting 145,526 hectares; planting 129,559 hectares; improving natural forests 8,477 hectares). Protecting and exploiting 106,698 hectares of natural bamboo, reed, and reed forests. Reviewing, developing, and supplementing the forest product processing plan of Nghe An province. Evaluating the planning of raw material areas for investors. Identifying and selecting processing factories and key areas for investment incentives and support.

Improve forest quality

The presentations of the delegates at the workshop focused on the following issues: To rapidly and sustainably develop the industry, wood processing and non-timber forest products, Nghe An needs to develop forestry production in a sustainable direction, in line with the province's socio-economic development strategy. It is necessary to develop business forests in a chain, towards modern technology.

Planning for forestry production development, specifically determining each type and capacity of each product to ensure balance in production (MDF, particle board, laminated wood, wooden furniture, etc.). Encouraging the exploitation of acacia trees over 15 years old to create good products for export and the environment. Technology and market of wood and non-timber forest products in Vietnam, some experiences and solutions for developing the wood and forest product processing industrial cluster in Nghe An province.

Improve the investment environment to attract businesses to invest in the wood processing sector. For non-timber forest products such as medicinal herbs, it is necessary to allow people to grow medicinal herbs under the forest canopy. Some policy orientations for forestry production and forest product processing in Nghe An...

Speaking at the workshop, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Thai Thanh Quy acknowledged the contributions of the delegates; respectfully accepted the advice and consultation of experts, scientists, and businessmen; learned from the experiences and approaches of other provinces, and local wood and forest product associations.

"From the results of the Workshop, we identified a number of key directions, as follows: Continue to improve administrative procedure reform, handle investment registration procedures, and business registration for investors within the prescribed time.

"Implementing well business support programs such as trade promotion, investment promotion, and industrial promotion to support wood processing enterprises investing in the area. Organizing market survey programs, searching for raw materials according to business needs, and improving production technology" - Comrade Thai Thanh Quy emphasized.

Nghe An will organize dialogue programs, meetings with businesses, industry associations, and provincial business associations to resolve difficulties and obstacles in production, business, trade promotion, and introduce investment opportunities...

Developing large timber plantations, granting FSC sustainable forest management certificates, applying intensive farming measures, using high-quality varieties to improve productivity, output, quality of plantations and meet the demand for raw materials both domestically and internationally.

Advise on canceling approved raw material zoning plans if investors do not implement them and have specific linkage policies with forest growers.

In Nghe An, most of the young forests are being exploited. Photo: Van Truong

In addition, investment in wood processing industrial clusters focuses on enterprises processing interior and exterior wood for export and supporting industries serving the wood processing industry (such as: production of bolts, screws, door handles, hinges, etc.).

Research and establish the Nghe An Wood and Forestry Processing Association to act as a bridge connecting wood processing enterprises in the province and the whole country. Strive for Nghe An to become the largest center for processing non-timber forest products in the North Central region.

Que Phong planted over 358 hectares of large timber forests

(Baonghean.vn) - Que Phong district has just planted over 358 hectares of large timber forests in 8 communes.

Promoting the advantages of large timber plantation

(Baonghean) - Effectively promoting the advantages of forests and forest land to develop forestry economy into a sustainable profession for people in many localities in Nghe An. Besides promoting the linkage to develop raw material areas with processing enterprises, expanding the forest area for large timber business brings high economic value.