CURRENT STATUS OF ACCACIA SUPPLY IN MALAYSIA 1. Objective: This paper aims to inform the status of the supply of timber from Acacia species in Malaysia.
2. BACKGROUND 2.1. Malaysia is one of the world's largest exporter of tropical timber. Malaysia is also the country's largest producer and exporter of timber and panel products like plywood, medium density fiberboard and particle board and other wood products such as flooring, doors and joinery products. 2.2. In 2013, the timber industry has contributed RM19.5 billion to the Gross Domestic Product in which Peninsular Malaysia recorded export value of RM10.4 billion, RM1.8 billion Sabah and Sarawak of RM 7.3 billion and has provided a total of more than 300,000 employment opportunities to the people. 2.3. Supply of raw materials derived from natural forests, whether from state forest land, wasteland and rubber replanting program. It is expected that the supply of raw materials will experience the shortage due to the opening reduction of state forest land in addition to the use of idle land for construction purposes. 2.4. Meanwhile, forest plantation program has been implemented since the late 1980s by the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. Estimated area of existing forest plantations in Malaysia stood at 600,000 hectares. Overall, the species planted were mainly from Acacia. 2.5. As a continuation of the existing program, the Forest Plantation Development Programme has been developed since 2006 with a focus on the cultivation of nine fastgrowing tree species, namely, Acacia, Laran, Khaya, Teak, Sentang, Rubber, Batai, Binuang and bamboo (approved in 2011) to meet the demand for wood raw material supply and reduce dependence on wood supply from native forests.