Myanmar invites tender for log sale

Myanmar has invited open tender for sale of teak and hardwood logs and sawn timber in Yangon, setting the date of the sale for Friday and next Monday, according to an announcement of the Myanmar Timber Enterprise (MTE) published here on Monday.

The forest products to be tendered include more than 1,240 tons of teak logs, 410 tons of teak hand-sawn conversion, 184 tons of hardwood, 7,380 tons of hardwood logs and 905 tons of hardwood hand-sawn conversion.

The hardwood logs to be sold through open competitive bidding include Padauk and Pyinkado of different quality grade, the MTE announcement said.

Myanmar last held such tender sale in February.

The MTE has set a target of more than 500,000 tons of teak and hardwood logs and sawn timber for domestic use in the 2014-2015 fiscal year and so far, 100,000 tons have been sold, according to MTE's earlier announcement.

The government had banned export of log timber by private sector from April 1, 2014 in a bid to prevent deforestation and ensure long-term use of the country's natural resources.

However, export of sawn and value-added wood is allowed, aimed at promoting foreign investment in the wood-based industry in terms of production technology.

Myanmar is making efforts to cut the rate of teak extraction yearly and is set to produce only 60,000 tons of teak and 670,000 tons of hardwood in 2014-2015. Endi