Call on PNG Forest Authority to publish log export data

ACT NOW! is calling on the PNG Forest Authority to publish the complete log export data for 2024 and 2025.

While the government has promised to ban all round log exports from January 2026, the PNGFA is yet to publish data on log export volumes for 2024 and 2025.

For fifteen years detailed statistics about the volume of log exported from every logging operation across the country was available from independent monitoring firm SGS. But in 2024, SGS withdrew their services because of a backlog of unpaid invoices. 

Although the PNGFA said it was taking over the monitoring operations, since 2024 not one single report has been published and there is no monthly or annual data available for 2024 or 2025.

With no information available on log export volumes the public can have no confidence that the government’s log export is being implemented.

The Prime Minister has staked his international reputation on the promise to end all round log exports from PNG, it is therefore essential the PNGFA immediately publishes its data for 2024 and 2025.

In June last year, the PNGFA assured the Parliamentary Special Committee on Public Sector Reform that it would provide regular reports with all the monthly log export volumes from individual logging projects, but nothing has been produced.

The lack of log export data reflects a general failure by the PNG Forest Authority to publish even basic information on its management of forest resources.

The Forestry Act says there should be a public register of information on all commercial logging operations and logging permits but it seems this has never been established.

This lack of publicly available information on the logging industry and the lack of export data is just one reason why the sector continues to be plagued by widespread illegal logging and presents a major money laundering risk.

This has contributed to PNG’s recent grey listing by the international financial community.