Uganda’s National Forestry Authority (NFA) has seen its timber earnings rise dramatically in the past year to US$2.75m.
The earnings, from the sale of 67,801m3 of timber during the last financial year, were up from just US$330,000 in the previous year when 8,000m3 were felled.
Timber was harvested from seven central reserve forests in Arua, Nebbi and Kyenjojo. Awang forest produced 7,761m3, while 26,276m3 came from Lendu forest.
Forests in Kyenjojo supplied the majority of timber, worth US$2.37m.
The NFA has banned harvesting of natural forests but it is allowed to fell overgrown trees in 506 central reserve forests under its management. However, the authority said some district forest officers are engaged in illegal timber harvesting.
