The agriculture and animal resources ministry in South Sudan’s Aweil state said it has revoked operation licenses from private companies engaged in timber production within the area.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj last week, the agriculture minister, Joseph Garang Garang cited challenges in production as the main reason for the cancelations.
The state government, Garang said, implemented the policy after realizing timber products were trading at high prices in local markets.
He further said the massive cutting down of trees by companies involved in timber trade has negatively affected the environment.
South Sudan currently has no forestry policy and its authorities are worried they could lose the country's tropical forests, unless stringent measures are put in place to curb the rampant rate of illegal logging.