2026 Budget Includes Funds for Reforestation in the Timber Sector
The Government committed to three tasks to be developed with the timber sector through the Industrial Strengthening Plan in the Biobío Region. These include a reforestation plan for fire-damaged properties, a carbon utilization plan for the industry, and a wood industrialization plan for housing construction.
The Minister of Economy, Álvaro García, detailed the work in the area. "A wood industrialization plan to build housing. The three commitments made by the State are underway. We made this clear to the industrial sector, which expressed its positive appreciation for these advances," he stated.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture, María Ignacia Fernández, added that they unblocked agreements regarding funding sources. They will be managed by Conaf. "We were able to unblock the agreements. There was already a technical agreement, a developed plan, but the obstacle was in the funding sources for this initiative from Conaf, as it had no enabled mechanism to make financial contributions to afforestation viable," she specified.
Álvaro Ananías, president of the Chamber of Production and Commerce, analyzed the situation and pointed out that there are still soils affected by forest fires. "Measures must be long-term, and it is necessary to develop public policies for both forestry promotion and wood construction. If these two variables are addressed—a forestry promotion law and clear policies for building with wood—I believe the problem can be unblocked and a more promising future projected," he explained.
The regional governor, Sergio Giacaman, valued the work done and expressed hope for the necessary funding to arrive. "Everything depends on Congressional approval and the resources to finance the afforestation process. There are other initiatives seeking to resume state incentives for planting. The Biobío Region is the lung of Chile, the country's forestry capital, and requires the State to be active in promoting this productive sector," he emphasized.
We recall that the region's forestry SMEs reported a severe crisis in the sector and a lack of long-term policies and measures to protect the industry.
Source:Channel 9 Biobio TV
