RN21 Sector project was under discussion at the “Resinae Ignite” meeting, which brought together entrepreneurs, producers, researchers, and institutional representatives yesterday afternoon in Pampilhosa da Serra Portugal, may double the current 250 million euros per year generated by the resin sector in the coming years, said yesterday the president of Resipinus – Association of Resin Distillers and Explorers. “The industry has this capacity to be able to reach this goal in two or three years, but it needs to have raw material and to have resinated pine forests», said Marco Ribeiro, speaking to Lusa after the “Resinae lgnite” meeting, which took place yesterday in Pampilhosa da Serra within the scope of the RN21 integrated project.
In the initiative, which brought together entrepreneurs, producers, researchers, and institutional representatives, the association leader pointed out that Portugal resin between 20 and 25 thousand hectares of pine forest, when, according to statistics, the country has between “600 and 700 thousand hectares, which gives a large margin”.
According to the president of Resipinus, within the scope of the RN21 project, which ends in December, but which can be extended a few more months, new extraction methods are being studied, which are less expensive, since currently the costs of extracting the resin are high.
The RN21 project brings together, for the first time, the resin sector in Portugal, in a consortium that aims to invest in research
and innovation to modernize and revitalize one of the most traditional sectors of the national economy, to value natural resin as a “bio” product. «We are taking the opportunity to develop some modernization, to bring new extraction models, more efficient, with some parts even mechanized, which until now was not possible, so that we can be more efficient in the extraction process», explained Marco Ribeiro.
The objective is to reduce the travel of resin workers to the pine forests and have an equivalent production, to reduce the necessary labor, increase the quality of the final product, through a container that allows maintaining the characteristics of the resin, and train new resin workers with new methods. “The market is demanding, it wants quality products, and we currently, with the traditional method, cannot achieve this product and, therefore, these new methods, which are more attractive, can bring positive aspects for the future”, he said.
For the association leader, if there is no economic valorization of this type of work, it will be difficult to attract «anyone to the sector and, therefore, we have to take this step of modernization».
Also within the scope of the RN21 project, the PINUS Centre – Association for the Enhancement of the Pine Forest, which brings together the main agents in the pine sector, announced yesterday that, together with several partners, it is starting a project for the genetic improvement of the wild pine tree to produce more resin «It is intended to select the trees that may exist in the country and that are more productive in resin From a current average of two kilos per pine we have some that produce four kilos and through a field trial we intend to test whether this productivity is genetic”, stressed Pedro Teixeira.
Portugal resin between 20 and 25 thousand hectares of pine forest. The sector currently generates 250 million euros per year If the tests confirm that the higher production is associated with a genetic issue, sSeeds and genetic material will be removed to replicate in new plants «that, from the outset, will be more productive», which can happen within a decade, being «an advantage for the entire value chain», explained the technician.
At the opening of the meeting, the Mayor of the Câmara de Pampilhosa da Serra, Jorge Custódio, highlighted the relevance of the initiative, considering it “very important to refocus on this activity and work in collaboration with local agents and producers, who continue to play an active role in the development of the region”. «The success of the resin and the forestry sector is certainly the success of these inland territories», defended the mayor.
“Resinae” brand aims to strengthen the sector’s position
At the “Resinae Ignite” meeting, the “Resinae” brand was officially presented, a symbol of quality, which aims to strengthen the sector’s position and boost natural resin to a level of competitiveness that responds to the demands of a market increasingly focused on sustainability. «The brand turns out to be the culmination of a joint effort
to have public recognition and extra appreciation of the natural resin, which is used in a series of products that we use daily», underlined Rogério Rodrigues, coordinator of the RN21 project, which has an investment of more than 26 million euros and a subsidy of 17.5 million euros, supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The project is led by CoLAB ForestWISE (Collaborative Laboratory for the Integrated Management of Forest and Fire) involves 37 entities, which will combine public and private investments, based on three pillars: promotion of the production of national natural resin, strengthening the sustainability of the manufacturing industry, and positive differentiation of natural resin and derived products.
Learn more here