The Irish Forestry and Forest Products Association has launched a report outlining how the sector has adapted quickly to regain its competitive strength and is now well positioned to make a significant contribution to economic recovery.
At the launch of the report, the group said the sector was disappointed at the lack of recognition from government of the role the sector can play in the recovery.
The IFFPA said that despite the sector's growth potential, State support was essential to ensure that this potential was fully realised.
The report outlines how the sawmilling sector, in particular, has increased exports in this challenging time, including the recent announcement by Grainger Sawmills that it has just shipped the first four containers of a €1.5m order of quality kiln-dried and packaged timber to Turkey.
Glennon Brothers are supplying seven ship loads of timber from Ireland to France in 2010 with a value in excess of €3m.
IFFPA Director Marian Byron said recent successes will mean nothing, if there is not a national source of raw material available for processing.
Over 16,000 people are employed in the sector, mainly in rural Ireland, and this could increase significantly if the appropriate supports and afforestation programmes were in place.
