Acoforag attributes forestry crisis to violence, higher costs, and lack of long-term policies

The manager of the Forestry Contractors Association (Acoforag), René Muñoz, stated that the crisis facing the forestry sector "is due to several factors." One of these would be "the condition of violence that has persisted for nearly 30 years, where the State has turned a blind eye and watched how events unfold."

"We have labor regulations that have imposed a higher cost, such as the increase in contributions and the 40-hour workweek. Let's add that the institutions are also not up to par; no reforestation has been done in the country for 15 years. Therefore, this reduces resources, diminishes assets for industries to establish themselves and develop projects," he added.

By adding these factors to the cost, "we undoubtedly lose competitiveness. We are at the end of the world and compete with countries that are closer to markets (...) The situation is very depressed; it is a crisis that we believe is just beginning."

This is within the complex scenario facing the forestry sector in the Biobío Region, after nearly 700 forestry subcontractors were laid off.

Faced with this scenario, the forestry guild and regional authorities expressed their concern about the impact of the layoffs on hundreds of families in the region and called for measures to address this crisis.

Meanwhile, the regional presidential delegate of Biobío, Julio Anativia, expressed his concern about some of the layoffs that have occurred in the forestry sector, where "in the latest case, 350 families in the region are going through this situation."

Likewise, the delegate stated that "there is a general unemployment crisis in Chile and in the Biobío Region, and particularly in the forestry sector, which worries us. For this reason, as it is one of the priority axes of President Kast's government, we are taking actions at a general level as a government and in the region. The Minister of Agriculture, Jaime Campos, announced that he is working on a bill aimed at incentivizing forestry activity for small and medium-sized enterprises, in order to support this economic activity and boost employment in this sector."

"Additionally, we are also working on fire prevention and security, which are complementary factors, but we know they also contribute to a more stable situation in forestry activity, and thus safeguard jobs in the Biobío Region and our country," he stated.

Source:Sabes