Teak takes off

Teak is in fashion these days, with public and private bodies in several countries investing in plantations of the Tectona grandis tree and small farmers getting interested too. The tree grows easily: with a lot of light, and well drained soils, it produces a hard, rotproof wood for using in outside furniture, boat-building or as railway sleepers. What s more, the price is rising. The volume of supply from the main source of south-east Asia is falling, with the exploitation of natural forests being severely restricted if not prohibited, except in Myanmar. Despite this, the countries of the region still have a quasi-monopoly on the export of teak logs to western markets, and of value-added products from their craft workshops. The burgeoning domestic market is being supplied by small diameter logs from Africa and Latin America, a phenomenon which explains the expansion of teak plantations in these continents. Côte d Ivoire is the major exporter of teak outside of Asia, exporting 130,000 m3 annually from its 52,000 hectares of plantations which are 90% state owned. Togo is planning to use private investment to plant 4,000 hectares in the coming five-year period. In the Caribbean, there are plantations covering 8,000 hectares, in particular in Trinidad and Tobago. People should not get carried away in their enthusiasm for teak however. Prices are rising (from USD 400 to 500 - 459 to 573 per m3 for mature logs), but the increase in supply will probably cause them to drop. Furthermore, investing in this type of plantation is a long-term affair with several constraints, most notably the prevailing land tenure system, and several prerequisites for success: there is need for care in selecting the best varieties for the given environment and the site nearest to markets. As in Asia, processing the wood on the spot could add significant value to the product. The Teaknet network is a useful source of information and research results and provides for exchange of plant materials and technical experiences. A good lead to follow. Mehm Ko Ko Gyi TEAKNET Coordinator Ministry of Forestry Bayintnaung Road West Gyogone Yangon 11011, Myanmar Fax: + 95 1 64336Teak is in fashion these days, with public and private bodies in several countries investing in plantations of the Tectona grandis tree and small farmers getting interested too. The tree grows easily: with a lot of light, and well drained soils, it..