Luanda — The head of the Forest Department of the Forest Development Institute (IDF), Mateus André, said Tuesday in Luanda that due exploration of Angola's forest resources can make of them the second major source of income for the State Budget.

The official was speaking to Angop on the fringes of a lecture for students of the police and army units.

According to Mateus Andre, the potential of Angola's current native forest is of 360 cubic metres per year, but only 60 to 70 cubic metres are explored, which is a very low figure.

He mentioned this as a huge economic loss that represents Akz 15 billion a year that, should they be collected, would be an added value to the State Budget.

The head of the department said that Angola's most explored forests are those in the humid tropical regions, representing two percent of the country's 53 million hectares of forest. These regions cover mainly the provinces of Cabinda, Uíge, Zaire and Bié.

Mateus André stressed that alike oil, that is the main source of revenues for the State Budget, Angola's timber has been exported to almost all parts of the world and soon the country will export furniture to some countries, through foreign companies that operate in Angola.

Sponsored by the Non-Governmental Organisation "Vida pela Vida - Bloco Verde", the lecture was part of the celebrations of March 21, internationally dedicated to forests and was attended by high ranking officers of the Armed Forces, National Police and personnel of the Forest Development Institute.