In Bhutan, the peak orange export season has highlighted a significant issue: the reliance on imported wooden crates for packaging. While the importation of these crates, largely constructed from off-cut wood, has been a relief for exporters, it poses a question for a country rich in forests. Why can't Bhutan produce its own wooden crates, particularly when many of the imported crates are made from the residue wood that Bhutan exports?
Despite being forest-rich, Bhutan imports a vast range of goods, from salt and luxury cars to wood for furniture. The need to import simple items like wooden crates is seen as an embarrassment, especially when it impedes the export of key products. With exporters finding it easier to import crates than rely on local manufacturers, there is a missed opportunity for local wood-based industries.
Last year, orange exporters imported wooden crates worth many millions when local industries couldn't meet the demand. This reliance on imports is viewed as a bigger problem than the potential inability to export oranges. It raises questions about policy and priorities, and whether local industries are truly capitalising on Bhutan's rich forest resources.
Source: kuenselonline.com