Coveted mahogany can ease US$200M wood imports: Expert

Santo Domingo.- Mahogany has the potential to develop DominicanRepublic´s bioeconomy as a financial product, by reverting annual imports ashigh as US$200 million in wood products, Atabey Foundation president DomingoContreras affirmed Wednesday

"We have land atour disposal, we are close to the ports and that will be increased and have theworld’s largest mahogany market which is the United States," the expertsaid quoted by diariolibre.com.do. He said studies have shown the precious wood´seconomic yield.

Contreras spoke inthe International Forum on Bioeconomy and Financial Mechanisms, sponsored bythe UNPHU University Foundation, to discuss the value and use of renewablenatural resources.

The activity wasattended by representatives from Dominican society and international experts,including World Protected Areas Commission (WCPA-IUCN) president ErnestoEnkerlin among, other sectors.