The NCT Story

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DROUGHTS AND FLOODS lead to under supply I n 1982 and 1983 South Africa, including the Natal region, suffered a very serious drought which was to have far reaching consequences for timber growers. Lack of sufficient rains affected timber yields in the medium term, which in turn reduced availability of supplies. NCT struggled to meet hardwood obligations and herculean efforts had to be made to find sufficient timber. Partly because of this natural disaster a project to be known as the CTC Afforestation Scheme was launched. The purpose was to ensure future hardwood supplies to CTC in the long-term. The Japanese buyers agreed to provide necessary finance and the scheme was divided into two parts. The first was to purchase and/or lease land for forestry development. The second part was for the primary co-ops to encourage their grower members to establish hardwoods on new areas on their farms.

The September 1987 floods caused havoc in the South African timber industry

The NCT Story

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