Wednesday, 3 July 2013

WOOD PRODUCERS PERMITTED TO EXPORT WOOD WITHOUT CERTIFICATE OF WOOD LEGALITY



The Ministry of Forestry allowed dispensation for exporters of wood who were not in possession of Wood Legality Certificate (SLK) to export their products. This was indeed a relief to wood exporters in Indonesia. The reason was that exporters who were not in possession of SLK were permitted to export wood and their by products. The requirement was that exporters must obtain V-Legal papers through inspection process whereby the Government guaranteed that although exporters had no SLK their export deliveries were not hindrance.

Bambang Hendroyono, Director General of Business Development, Ministry of Forestry, stated in Jakarta on Thursday (17/1/2013) disclosed that based on The Regulation of the Ministry of Trade no 64/2012 on the Stipulations on Export of Forestry Industry products export of wood products and their by products were obliged to use the V-legal documents referring to the Wood Legality Verification System (SLVK). To obtain V-legal documents, Bambang said, exporters must pocket S-LK obtained by verification process by the Board of Wood Legality Verification (LVLK).

By referring to the Permenhut Regulation and Regulation of the Directorate General of Forestry Business Kemhut no. 8/2011 exporters who were in no possession of S-LK could still obtain V-Legal Document provided it was obtained by LVLK. Nevertheless, he said, the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) still insisted that all exporters obtain S-LK. The reason was that with S-LK it would be much easier to export. The procedure required only verification of document legality. “Those who are not in possession of certificate can still export products, but we insist that they apply for S-LK at once” he said.

Bambang underscored that it was mandatory for exporters of woodcraft products to obtain SVLK by January 1, 2013. He said that LVLK was an effort to build public confidence through back-tracking of wood to check whether a certain wood product originated from legal resource and fulfilled legal requirements. By that regulation, in the future exporters must be able to prove and convince buyers that the wood exported originated from a legal resource.

According to Bandung, there was nothing new about SVLK. The policy had been adopted since 2009 and put in effect in 2013. Supposedly after a long span of time exporters were ready. Meanwhile about wood traders of small-business (UKM) scale, the Regulation regulated the phases to the effective by 2014. He rated that in fact the application of SVLK for Indonesia was not merely to comply to overseas buyers demand for wood legality such as eco labeling but also for the interest of local exporters themselves.

Bambang reminded that Indonesia was subject to criticism in regard to the issue of illegal logging by developing SVLK, International known as Timber legality Assurance System (TLAS). SVLK, he said, was expected to mark Government’s effort in improving logging management in Indonesia and reformation of the bureaucracy which would ensure credibility, transparence, accountability and hospitability to businesspeople. “We are calling out all stakeholders of forestry to conserve forests” Bambang was quoted as saying.

Again Bambang underscored that all wood products and their by products like hardboard, woodwork materials, furniture, paper and tissue must comply to SVLK rules. All the rules were meant to make sure that all exported products must originate from legal resources. This rule applied also to forestry industry products using imported raw materials. He explained that the Ministry of Trade was still scheming up policy which obliged that products using imported raw materials must also be certified. 


Business News - January 23,2013

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