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forest certification in developing and transitioning countries
Similarly, STCP (2000) considers that in the medium-term certification will be a basic
requirement (not an option) for accessing environmentally sensitive markets such as
the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Germany. Although the green market plays an
influential role, Jack (1999a) reminds us that certification was developed not only by
the market, but also with support from national organizations and the new Bolivian
Forestry Law.
Forest products exports are presented in Table 4. In 2002 a total volume of 63,574
m 3 was exported, the equivalent of US$ 88.2 million. Figure 2 presents the dollar value
of forest products exports for an 11-year period.
Table 4 Bolivian forest products exports (in US$) for 2000, 2001, and 2002
Type of Product Year 2000 Year 2001 Year 2002
Raw material 24,753,487 21,158,814 20,622,482
Elaborated (including Brazil nuts) 69,058,949 59,844,610 58,348,552
Semi elaborated 25,730,323 4,784,854 8,557,392
Other 380,120 164,251 696,298
Total 119,922,878 85,953,529 88,224,724
Source: CFB (2003)
Figure 2 Value of Bolivian forest products exports (in $US) between 1992 and 2002.
160,000,000
140,000,000
$US
120,000,000
100,000,000
80,000,000
60,000,000
40,000,000
20,000,000
0
Source: CFB (2003)
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Year
According to Carden (2003), the market is not a problem for the Bolivian forest
industry, but rather, internal deficiencies such as: a lack of communication links
between potential buyers and producers; the lack of logging contractors to harvest
and saw trunks; unpublished information about the availability of species and
volume; illegal harvesting; old transformation equipment poorly maintained and
yale school of forestry & environmental studies