Importing wood logs with bark: Minister asks DPP to review current restrictions

KARACHI: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain has asked the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) to review current restrictions on importing wood logs with bark to facilitate the wood imports.

The proposal aims to ease operations for wood importers in alignment with international phytosanitary standards. Specifically, the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 39) includes round wood and sawn wood, both with and without bark, within its scope.

The All-Pakistan Timber Traders Association (APTTA) formally called upon the Ministry of NFSR and the DPP to resolve critical regulatory bottlenecks that have severely affected Pakistan’s wood industry since the promulgation of the Import Policy Order (IPO) 2022.

The appeal was presented to the Federal Minister for NFSR, Rana Tanveer Hussain, during a dedicated conference following the inauguration of the Central Plant Quarantine Laboratory (CPQL) and the Federal Pesticides Testing & Reference Laboratory (FPT&RL) at the DPP.

The meeting was arranged and facilitated by Director General DPP, Yaseen Murtaza and attended by former Chairman APTTA Sharjil Goplani, senior member Moiz Kakkal and Mushtaq Vali Mohammed.

During the meeting, the Association also urged immediate action against the 2022 IPO restrictions and exorbitant PPRO charges, warning that these measures are threatening the survival of the wood industry.

APTTA draws attention of the Minister NFSR to the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 39), International Movement of Wood, adopted under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The standard covers round wood and sawn wood, with or without bark, and provides a framework for managing phytosanitary risks through appropriate treatment, inspection, bark removal and systems approaches.

The standard expressly includes round wood and sawn wood with or without bark within its scope. It recognizes the international movement of bark-bearing logs and provides a framework for assessing and managing the associated phytosanitary risks. It also recognizes that round wood is commonly transported internationally for subsequent processing at the destination.

The Association further urged the Government to align wood import regulations with international phytosanitary standards, facilitate legitimate trade and promote Ease of Doing Business while safeguarding Pakistan’s plant health.

According to APTTA, this internationally recognized framework provides a sound technical basis for reviewing and amending Pakistan’s existing import conditions. Therefore, the association is seeking permission for wood logs to be imported with bark, with the prescribed fumigation, debarking and inspection carried out upon arrival at designated and approved facilities in Pakistan under the direct supervision of DPP/ NAFSA.

APTTA emphasised that the proposal does not seek any relaxation of Pakistan’s phytosanitary safeguards. Rather, it seeks to shift the prescribed treatment measures from pre-shipment to upon arrival in Pakistan, under appropriate regulatory supervision, while ensuring effective pest-risk management.

The existing pre-shipment treatment requirements, coupled with excessively high Plant Protection Regulatory Order (PPRO) charges, significantly increase import costs, making wood imports commercially unviable, while also causing potential timber damage and operational difficulties for importers and the domestic wood-processing industry.

The directive aims to ease operations for timber importers in alignment with international phytosanitary standards. Specifically, the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 39) permits the import of wood logs both with and without bark.

The All-Pakistan Timber Traders Association (APTTA) has formally called upon the Ministry of National Food Security & Research and the DPP to resolve critical regulatory bottlenecks that have severely affected Pakistan’s wood and timber industry since the promulgation of the Import Policy Order (IPO) 2022.

The appeal was presented to the Federal Minister for NFSR, Rana Tanveer Hussain, during a dedicated conference following the inauguration of the Central Plant Quarantine Laboratory (CPQL) and the Federal Pesticides Testing & Reference Laboratory (FPT&RL) at the DPP.

The meeting was arranged and facilitated by Director General DPP, Yaseen Murtaza. Representatives from the APTTA (Plz add names) attended the meeting. During the meeting, the Association also urged immediate action against the 2022 Import Policy Order (IPO) restrictions and exorbitant PPRO charges, warning that these measures are threatening the survival of the wood and timber industry.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026