Solomon Islands Timber delegation seeks opportunities in Australia and New Zealand

A group of Solomon Islands timber exporters and government officials are in Australia and New Zealand this week hoping to increase understanding among exporters and importers of market requirements and opportunities for Solomon Islands sawn timber. The mission started in Brisbane on Monday and carries on in Auckland until Sunday 29 March.

The delegation is meeting with importers, government officials and the New Zealand Timber Importers Association at Pacific Islands Trade & Invest office in Newmarket today. Sixty percent of Solomon Islands sawn timber is sold to markets in Australia and New Zealand.

At present, the vast majority of Solomon Islands timber is exported to China as unprocessed round logs, with wide recognition of the unsustainable level of harvesting. This delegation, however, is focused on promoting exports of sawn timber, as part of a wider goal of adding value to timber exports. Sawn timber exports from Solomon Islands are valued at over SBD 80 million or around USD $9.5 million per year, and the industry employs more than 1000 people.

The mission is being funded by the Pacific Horticultural & Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) program as a follow up to market studies conducted in 2014. Based on those studies, the Solomon Islands Timber Industry Working Group recognised the need to better understand market requirements in Australia and New Zealand, and made the trade mission a priority.

The eight member delegation consists of five private sector timber exporters, two officials from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Forestry and Research and a PHAMA representative.

A key part of the mission will focus on importers and exporters exchanging information relating to market requirements for timber legality and quality. Markets in the EU and the United States have already introduced the requirement to demonstrate the legal origin of imported forestry products.

Australia implemented similar legislation in November 2014, while New Zealand (which currently has a voluntary code of practice) could also follow suit.

Other equally important discussions will include opportunities to improve timber quality and presentation, processing and end-product requirements, supply, consistency and potential markets for alternative species. Opportunities for potential collaboration with importers to improve timber

processing quality in Solomon Islands will also be examined. The outcomes from the mission will be shared in the Solomon Islands adding to the further development of the timber export industry.

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Solomon Islands Timber delegation seeks opportunities