Brazil's forest industry forecasts growth in 2013 as government considers eliminating plywood tax, 8% export tax on US-bound forest products; construction of World Cup, Olympic Games facilities expected to increase demand

Wendy Lisney

YOKOHAMA, Japan , February 1, 2013 (International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)) – The Brazilian sawnwood industry is forecasting positive growth in 2013 in anticipation of increased demand resulting from construction of facilities for the World Cup (2014) and the Olympic Games (2016). A further boost to demand will come from the government’s housing programme “My House My Life (Minha Casa Minha Vida)”.

In other encouraging news the Brazilian Association of Mechanically Processed Timber Industries (ABIMCI) has indicated that the federal government intends to reduce payroll taxes for the sawnwood sector in 2013.

The Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) is said to be considering eliminating the tax on Industrialized Products (IPI) for plywood and also the 8% tax charged when the Brazilian forest products are exported to the US market. institutional support of all Ministries”.

Regarding the proposed draft National Forestry Policy and Wildlife (PNFFS), submitted in December 2012, the organizations asked to expand to 120 days the period for receiving input from the public”.

The group further asked for greater transparency in progress with development of regulations being developed by the National Forestry and Wildlife Agency (SERFOR).

The petition to the Ministry was signed by organizations such as the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), Law Environment and Natural Resources (DAR), Peruvian Society for Ecological Development (SPDE), Proética, Association for the Conservation of the Amazon Basin (ACCA), Center Indigenous Cultures of Peru (Chirapaq), the Centre for Environmental Sustainability Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (CSA-UPCH), amongst others.

Source:Tropical Timber Market Report, International Tropical Timber Organization.

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