By Apple Jean C. Martin-de Leon / S&T Media Service
Trading of timber in Southeast Asia will soon be more efficient as experts in the region are consolidating the database of timber species being traded in the region.
Two researchers from the Department of Agriculture-Forest Products Research and Development Institute—Fernando C. Pitargue Jr. and For. Glenn B. Estudillo—were the Philippine representatives to the recent Forest Research Institute Malaysia-led project.
Titled “Equivalent Timber Names in Asean,” the project hopes to gather information—such as trade names, common names and locations—of various timber species in the region.
“Those involved in timber trading will be guided as to the equivalent woods from each Asean member-state. The database will help them know the prevailing prices and sources of timber, making the import-export market system among Asean countries more efficient.” explained Pitargue.
In line with the project, the two attended workshops in November 2018 and in January in Malaysia to collate and finalize the data. The output will be presented during the 2019 Asean Senior Officials on Forestry meeting and will be published into a book.
Funded by the Japan-Asean Integration Fund, the project involves delegates from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.