Directive No. 19/1999/CT-TTg On Implementing Measures to Promote the Consumption of Planted Forest Wood

 DIRECTIVE

On Implementing Measures to Promote the Consumption of Timber from Planted Forests

In recent years, the State has issued many policies and guidelines encouraging the people to invest in planting forests and protecting and developing forests. By now, many areas of planted forests have reached the age for harvesting, but due to various reasons, the timber from these forests cannot be consumed. In some places, part of the timber is consumed in the form of raw material for processing industries, but the purchase price of raw timber is too low, so the people are not enthusiastic about planting forests.

To ensure income for those who plant forests and continue to encourage the people to invest their labor and capital in reclaiming barren hills and mountains to plant forests, actively participating in the program to plant five million hectares of new forests, the Government instructs ministries, sectors, and People's Committees at all levels to focus on implementing the following contents well:

1. Encouraging the use of timber from planted forests as raw materials for industries and meeting the domestic demand for timber;

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead in coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to clearly determine the demand for timber as raw materials for industries and the demand for processed products for daily use from now until 2010 to guide localities in planning specific areas for planting raw material forests. Organize the production and supply of materials, tree seedlings, support, and guide localities in intensive forest planting to ensure sufficient supply of raw timber for the needs of the national economy.

2. Encouraging the export of timber from planted forests;

For areas of planted forests (economic forests) that have reached maturity (including planted forests within the planned area for industrial raw material wood), if the domestic factories' consumption capacity is insufficient, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with the Ministry of Trade to find markets, guide, and encourage enterprises to purchase timber from planted forests for processing and export.

The Government permits enterprises to export products made from timber from planted forests (including exporting whole trees and logs).

3. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Finance and related ministries and sectors to study and submit to the Prime Minister for issuance in the third quarter of 1999 mechanisms to encourage planting forests and consuming timber from planted forests such as:

Policies for exemption and reduction of land use tax, rental prices for land for planting forests, credit policies for farmers to borrow money for planting forests.

Preferential tax policies for wood products exported and processed from timber from planted forests, especially handicrafts, high-end furniture, and products produced through advanced technological processes.

4. Owners of planted forests have the right to independently harvest their planted forests according to the procedures and regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, ensuring the regeneration, recovery, and maintenance of ecological balance.

- For areas where forests cannot recover after harvesting, the forest owner must replant and restore the forest on the harvested area.

- Difficulties in obtaining permits for harvesting, transportation, consumption, and export of timber from planted forests must be resolved.

Any cases of harassment, causing inconvenience, difficulties, or damage to the interests of producers and consumers of timber from planted forests must be strictly dealt with according to the law.

The Government requests People's Committees at all levels and ministries and sectors to effectively implement the contents of this Directive.