Timber Sales from Government Forests Triple After Lifting of Logging Ban – KNBS
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has reported a sharp rise in timber sales from government forests in 2024, following the lifting of a logging ban. According to the 2025 Economic Survey, total timber sales surged from 159,400 true cubic metres in 2023 to 618,800 true cubic metres in 2024.
The bulk of the increase came from softwood timber, which recorded a fourfold rise. Sales jumped from 148,500 true cubic metres in 2023 to 604,400 true cubic metres in 2024. The KNBS attributed this growth to the lifting of the logging ban by President William Ruto in July 2023.
Hardwood timber sales also increased, rising from 10,900 to 14,400 true cubic metres over the same period. Meanwhile, fuelwood and charcoal sales grew modestly, from 35,900 to 37,700 stacked cubic metres.
Despite the increased forest product sales, Kenya’s forest cover remained unchanged at 8.8%. Forested land accounts for 5.22 million hectares of the country’s total 59.19 million hectares.
The survey also highlighted changes in forest plantation activity. The net stocked plantation area expanded from 144,800 hectares in 2023 to 147,000 hectares in 2024. Newly planted areas more than doubled, increasing from 2,400 to 4,900 hectares. KNBS linked this to the government’s “Jaza Miti” initiative, which targets the planting of 15 billion trees by 2032.
Clear-felled plantation areas reached 2,700 hectares in 2024, following the end of the logging ban.
President Ruto defended the decision to lift the ban, stating that mature trees were being left to rot in forests while the country continued to import timber. He argued that allowing controlled logging would support local economies that depend on forest products.
The president also announced plans to impose higher taxes on imported furniture to promote local manufacturing and reduce dependency on imports.
To support climate action, Ruto urged Kenyans to plant trees in their homes. He designated May 10, 2024, as National Tree Planting Day. On this date, more than 200 million seedlings were planted across the country as part of ongoing reforestation efforts.
In Other News: Twist as Cheluget’s Family Says Ruto Never Consulted Them on Narok Land
Timber Sales from Government Forests Triple After Lifting of Logging Ban – KNBS
