The Fiji Hardwood Corporation is hoping to establish a timber processing plant.

The corporation, is limited to selling logs only, due to the existing legislation, but they are now seeking avenues to broaden its scope by entering both local and international timber markets.

General Manager Semi Dranibaka says the Mahogany Industry Development Act has limited their aspirations in the industry.

“This is a proposed development, we are looking to review the legislation for us to progress into timber processing”, Dranibaka said.

Under the current legal framework, the Fiji Hardwood Corporation is mandated to sell logs exclusively, presenting challenges for the corporation to fully capitalize on the potential value-added benefits of timber processing.

In response to this limitation, the corporation is actively engaging with the government to propose amendments to the existing Mahogany Industry Development Act or MIDA.

“We are proposing to have a taskforce to remove the MIDA. The decision will come from the coalition government”, Dranibaka said.