First 114,000 ha of rubber recognised with Sustainable Forest Management Certificate

Accordingly, the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) granted the certificates to VRG companies, including the Binh Long, Phu Rieng and Dau Tieng Rubber Companies, at a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on May 17.

The event also aimed to evaluate coordination results between VNFOREST and VRG in implementing a project on sustainable forest management and forest certification under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 1228 /QĐ-TTg, dated October 1, 2018, to promoting the certification of sustainable forest management in Vietnam.

Under the scheme, the total area of rubber set to be planted under the sustainable forest management plan is nearly 60,000 hectares, targeting to offer the Vietnam Forest Certification Scheme (VFCS) certification for six rubber processing factories.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan said that Vietnam has nearly 1 million ha of rubber forests, generating between 3-3.5 million m3 of raw materials from rubber wood every year, while the export value of processing products from rubber wood also reached US$2.5 billion. Therefore, rubber wood is also an important and sustainable source of raw materials for the wood processing industry and exports of forest products.

Vietnam's Sustainable Forest Management Certificate is important in promoting the certification of sustainable forest management and developing the market for legal timber and "clean" raw materials for Vietnam’s wood and forest product processing industries and exports, Tuan said.

It is also an affirmation of the country’s activeness in implementing sustainable forest management and forest certification, especially as Vietnam's forest certification system has been recognised worldwide.

Besides, Vietnam's sustainable forest management certificate also helps to provide more options for forest owners and businesses in implementing sustainable forest certificates, the deputy minister stated.

In 2020, VNFOREST and VRG will coordinate to register for sustainable forest management certification for at least 50,000 ha of rubber. In addition, at least 15 training courses will be organised on sustainable forest management and product chain management to enhance the capacity and awareness of VRG companies.

A sustainable forest management plan is set to be deployed by 10 rubber companies under VRG. The group also targets to register the VFCS certification for 15 wood processing enterprises under its management.