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forest certification in guatemala
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materials. As a result, product quality is low, waste is high and little value is added. At
the same time, there are a few large enterprises that meet high-quality standards and
export a good part of their production. Except for the industrial concessions, the
wood-based industry does not manage its own forests and, consequently, depends on
third parties for its raw material supplies.
Markets
Around 90 percent of harvested timber is destined for national markets, which
absorb mostly low quality products, while the remaining high quality products are
exported. It is estimated that 68 percent of the processed volume is marketed as sawn
wood, 14 percent as manufactured goods, 8.6 percent as plywood and wood-based
panels, and 9.4 percent as miscellaneous products. It is estimated that 70 percent of
the processed wood originates from coniferous forests (FAO, 2003). This shows that
despite the limited area covered, coniferous forests are by far the most important
source of industrial round wood.
A total of 66,857 m 3 of sawn wood was exported in 2001, of which 78.0 percent was
pine (Pinus spp.), 11.4 percent mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla), 2.9 percent santa
maría (Calophyllum brasiliense), 2.1 percent palo blanco (Cybistax donnell-smithii), 1.7
percent tropical cedar (Cedrela odorata) and 1.5 percent castilla (Castilla elastica); 12
other species made up the remaining 2.4 percent (INAB, 2001). Exports are destined
mainly to El Salvador and USA, while imports originate principally from Costa Rica
and Mexico (Table 2).
Table 2
Export and import values of wood products in Guatemala, broken down by
principal trade partners in 2001
Principal export destinations
Principal import origins
Country Value % Country Value %
(US$)
(US$)
El Salvador 9,068,078 39.1 Costa Rica 3,213,110 31.0
USA 6,162,927 26.6 Mexico 1,470,825 14.2
Dominican Republic 2,494,152 10.7 USA 1,133,816 10.9
Honduras 1,634,934 7.0 Nicaragua 1,094,688 10.6
Mexico 1,460,784 6.3 Chile 887,422 8.6
Costa Rica 780,757 3.4 Honduras 523,122 5.1
Italy 778,919 3.4 El Salvador 432,168 4.2
TOTAL 23,209,381 100.0 TOTAL 10,357,443 100.0
(33 countries) (47 countries)
Source: PAFG 2003
yale school of forestry & environmental studies