South African Forestry Co Ltd (Safcol) is to review its strategy for marketing softwood logs in order to ensure supply meets demand.
In the company’s annual report, state-owned Safcol’s chairperson Gugu Moli estimated that up to 1.7 million m³ of logs would be available annually for marketing in the next three to five years, but that demand for uncommitted timber from Komatiland Forests Ltd continued to exceed sustainable yield volumes.
Fire damage also played a part in Safcol’s decision to review its marketing of softwood logs, with up to 17,500ha of standing timber affected and the forest industry expecting income losses of R5bn.
“Included in the results is the post-fire strategy to focus on the management of the operations,” said chief executive officer Kobus Breed. “[Including] replanting of fire-damaged trees and repositioning Komatiland Forests in terms of predicted future sustainable yields.”
Safcol added that it would be discussing the new strategy with stakeholders and introducing it in due course.
