Binh Phuoc suspends six forest projects
The southern province of Binh Phuoc will stop clearing natural forest land for the planting of industrial trees with high economic value, the provincial authority has announced. Binh Phuoc Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that it had initially suspended six projects for developing cultivation, husbandry and planting industrial trees of high economic value. The suspension follows an order by the provincial People’s Committee last week in response to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phúc’s authorisation last June to close natural forests nationwide. Nearly 2.2 million hectares of forest land was deemed at high risk of being exploited and having its designated use changed illegally. The department said it would review the six projects being implemented in the province that have the aim of turning nearly 700ha of forest land into land for husbandry and cultivation, particularly for high value industrial plants such as cocoa, pepper and cashew.
