Burma: Deforestation

Log price spirals in Three Pagoda Pass

Chan Mon, IMNA
February 22, 2006

Price of timber has spiralled in Three Pagoda Pass given the massive deforestation in the area and the consequent shortage of logs for factories, according to a factory owner.

“We are finding it difficult to procure logs. We have to order it five days in advance to get it. With our factory facing shortage of logs we have stopped work for awhile,” Nai Khin a furniture factory owner said.

“The price of timber has also increased because it has to be procured from further away than last year. We have to place orders in Kyaikdon town, about 35 miles from Three Pagoda Pass ,” he added.



Timber price had increased to 24,000 Baht per tonne as against last year's price of 19,000 Baht per tonne.

Loggers in Three Pagoda said, they have less timber in the Three Pagoda Pass area. They cannot log anymore because of deforestation. The Three Pagoda Pass had a lot of forest cover with big trees even a decade ago.

“We cannot find teak any more,” Nai Yeain a timber exporter said. The current teak price is about 30,000 Baht per tonne.

Community leaders claimed that the deforestation occurred because of unsystematic and rampant felling of trees.

About 100 tonnes of logs used to be cut and brought to Three Pagoda Pass daily. The deforestation was caused due to increased logging in the last couple of years.

Most wood products from Three Pagoda Pass is exported to Thailand , and only a few are bought in the country.