Acoforag warns of deep forestry crisis and estimates loss of up to 4,000 jobs in the southern zone

The Association of Forestry Contractors (Acoforag) raised alarms regarding the situation facing the Chilean forestry industry, following recent layoffs announced by major companies in the sector and the difficulties faced by contractors and workers in the southern macrozone.

In an interview with BiobíoChile, Acoforag's manager, René Muñoz, stated that the layoffs recorded at companies such as Arauco and CMPC are only a visible manifestation of a crisis that, in his opinion, has been brewing for decades.

"These are the symptoms of an illness we have been carrying for 29 years. The forestry sector has been systematically attacked and destroyed, without the State considering the importance of this activity for regional development and employment," he stated.

Muñoz highlighted that forestry activity is one of the most sustainable industries in the country and questioned the lack of state support for a sector that generates thousands of jobs and contributes significantly to national exports.

Factors explaining the deterioration

According to the union leader, the current situation is due to a combination of factors that have impacted the competitiveness of forestry activity.

Among these, he mentioned rural violence, increased labor costs, higher pension contributions, the implementation of the 40-hour workweek, rising fuel prices, and forest fires. "When a sector is subjected to all these factors working against it, it is logical that what is happening today occurs. Those who suffer the most are the workers and their families," he argued.

Afforestation at historic lows

One of the issues that most concerns Acoforag is the decline in afforestation in Chile. Muñoz pointed out that more than a decade ago, the country stopped planting at the levels it maintained during the 2000s. "Between 2000 and 2010, around 40,000 hectares were afforested per year. Last year, barely about 1,800 hectares were afforested. That decline clearly reflects what the sector is feeling," he indicated.

In his view, the lack of promotion policies contrasts with what happens in other countries, where afforestation is actively promoted as a tool for economic and environmental development.

Impact on employment

Regarding the labor consequences, Muñoz estimated that forestry activity has lost about 4,000 jobs in the southern zone of the country. "The forestry sector employs between 23,000 and 27,000 workers. From that figure, we have significantly regressed because the conditions for investing and working simply are not there," he explained.

The leader argued that the lack of legal certainty and adequate conditions for the development of the activity are hindering new investments and weakening the production chain.

Decline in exports

The sector's concerns are reinforced by the latest economic indicators. According to data released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), forestry exports from Biobío registered a decrease of 21.5% during April.

For Muñoz, this is a worrying signal considering the weight of forestry activity in the regional economy. "The forestry sector exports about 6 billion dollars a year. A decline of this magnitude has a huge impact on companies and the territories where the activity takes place," he stated.

Likewise, he recalled that the forestry industry represents a significant part of Biobío's economic activity, generating direct and indirect employment and concentrating a large part of the export movement of regional ports.

In terms of security, Muñoz insisted that rural violence continues to be one of the main obstacles to the sector's development.

Although he acknowledged that official figures show a decrease in attacks in some areas, he assured that there are sectors where productive activity remains extremely complex.

Furthermore, he raised the need to strengthen the powers associated with the constitutional state of exception, incorporating tools such as the Critical Infrastructure Law and greater attributions for the Armed Forces.

"The Armed Forces accompany Carabineros, but they could be much more effective if they had greater operational capabilities, such as carrying out identity checks," he pointed out.

Call to the Government

Finally, Acoforag's manager questioned that forestry contractors had not been considered in recent security meetings held in the province of Arauco and asked that authorities listen to those who have directly experienced the consequences of the conflict.

"The main victims during these 29 years have been the forestry contractors, the workers, and their families. We believe we have a lot to contribute to the debate on the future of the sector and the measures that should be adopted," he concluded.