11 - Forestry In CAR, the dense, humid forest covers a surface area of about 5 million hectares divided into two blocks: the South-Western block covering 3.8 millions hectares; the South-Eastern block covering 1.2 millions hectares. - From 1993 to 2000, logging steadily increased by 702,994 m3. From 2001, forestry has become the principal growth sector for the Central African Republic. In 2002 it represented 4.2% of GDP compared to 3.2% in 1997. At the end of December 2002, yields in forestry products registered mitigated results in production terms, whilst exploitation operations improved notably. In effect, total production was pegged at 737,544m3, compared to 782,342m3 at the same period of the previous year, namely a reduction of 6.1%. This drop in production can be attributed to both logging (-3.3%) and sawn timber (-27.4%), whilst plywood recorded an increase of 11.9%. A- YEARS Logging Sawn Timber Plywood PRODUCTION TABLE FROM 1998 TO 2003 1998 1999 529,655m3 91,344 m3 1,414 m3 552,808 m3 144,000 m3 1,682 m3 B- YEARS Logging Sawn Timber ex CEMAC Sawn Timber towards CEMAC Total Sawn Timber Plywood 2000 2000 2001 2002 2003 702,994 m3 102,353 m3 1,500 m3 671,239 m3 109,327 m3 1,776 m3 663,714 m3 97,314 m3 2,016 m3 516,166 m3 68,550 m3 1,531 m3 TABLE OF EXPORTS FROM 2000 TO 2003 108,000 m3 64,800 m3 2001 112,500 m3 67,500 m3 2002 290,000 m3 68,000 m3 2003 226,050 m3 42,043 m3 8,400 m3 8,775 m3 17,000 m3 15,873 m3 73,200 m3 76,275 m3 85,000 m3 57,917 m3 432 m3 450 m3 1700 m3 863 m3 It is to be pointed out that in 2003, the entire industry was made up of 16 Forestry Companies. Among these export crops Tobacco can be noted which occupies an important place. Tobacco was introduced in CAR in 1948. Thus, the first season of 1948-1949 yielded a production of 9 tons.