KATHMANDU, July 21: Timber production in Nepal increased in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 compared to the previous fiscal year. The Ministry of Forests and Environment has described the increase in timber production as one of its major achievements.
On the occasion of completing one year in office by Minister for Forests and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, the ministry listed the increase in timber production as a key priority among its major accomplishments.
According to the ministry, timber production in FY 2023/24 was worth only Rs 30 million. By mid-May in the FY 2023/24, timber production had reached 33.5 million cubic feet. The ministry stated that within 11 months, production increased by 3.5 million cubic feet.
Minister Shahi Thakuri has committed to further increasing timber production and making the country self-reliant in wood and wood-based products.
The ministry says the increase in production follows policies to sustainably manage forests by collecting fallen, dried, and old trees, increasing the supply of fuelwood, and ensuring easy access to raw materials for industries producing furniture and forest-based products.
Insufficient supply of timber leading to outflow of millions of...
According to the ministry, the target for sustainable forest management for FY 2024/25 was to reach 100,000 hectares, which was fully achieved. The ministry also claims notable progress in forest-based entrepreneurship and employment this year, creating employment for 41,000 individuals or 14.8 million labor-days.
Minister Shahi also highlighted the increase in forest coverage as a major accomplishment. By 2020, forest coverage was 45.31 percent, which has now reached 46.08 percent through conservation and management by the government and communities.
According to data from the Department of Customs, timber and timber products worth Rs 5.12 billion were imported in the FY 2023/24. By mid-January 2024/25, imports had already reached Rs 2.39 billion.
The government declares every year its intent to reduce timber imports and become self-reliant, but these declarations often remain only on paper. However, this year some progress has been observed.
Nepal’s rising dependence on timber imports is concerning. According to the Department of Forests, Nepal once imported up to 1.4 million cubic feet of timber. In 2021/22, Nepal imported 708,293 cubic feet of timber from various countries, and by Baisakh of 2022/23, the figure had reached 1.4 million cubic feet.
In 2017/18, Nepal imported timber worth about Rs 2 billion. Since then, timber imports have risen every year. In 2021/22, timber worth Rs 7.44 billion was imported.
Nepal imports timber from countries like Liberia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Germany, Suriname, and the United States. The government imports two types of timber: sawn wood and logs. Experts say that if forests are managed scientifically, Nepal can not only be self-reliant but also earn billions annually by exporting timber.
Even employees of the Forest Ministry admit Nepal’s growing timber dependency. A staff member said, “Nepal has not properly utilized its timber. If used scientifically, Nepal can earn Rs 30 billion annually just from timber exports. If forest management is done well, 120 million cubic feet of timber can be harvested annually.”
Out of this, 20 million cubic feet would be consumed domestically, while the remaining 100 million cubic feet could be exported, according to experts.
Ministry employees say the lack of standards for sustainable forest management and the unilateral change in timber measurement formulas without coordination with the Department of Forests have hindered effective timber utilization in Nepal. Experts suggest Nepal must scientifically manage its forests to become self-reliant in timber.
Experts also say that the absence of standards for sustainable forest management and changing measurement formulas without coordination with the Department of Forests have prevented effective timber use. Nepal introduced the concept of scientific forest management in 2013/14 (2070 BS). However, this policy was scrapped seven years later.
The scientific forest management policy was repealed during the tenure of then-Minister Prem Ale, citing increased illegal logging under the system. Even as the five-year mark approached, only about 0.25 percent of the policy had been implemented.
