The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has urged charcoal producers countrywide to adhere to set guidelines to ensure sustainable charcoal production.

The ministry issued the appeal after some harvesters near Outjo in the Otjozondjupa Region chopped down old Mopane trees for charcoal production purposes.

In a media statement, the ministry's Spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, said the harvesters have been fined for cutting down seven Mopane trees that were bigger than 18 centimeters in diameter.

Charcoal producers are therefore urged to comply with permit conditions and follow the guidelines for charcoal production and should not always wait to be policed in terms of adherence.

Last year, the ministry launched the charcoal production guidelines and all charcoal harvesters countrywide have been equipped with the guidelines, and officials have been deployed in all the regions to enforce them.

The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein also addressed the matter on his Twitter account this week.

He said charcoal harvesters chopped down Mopane trees of hundred years in violation of the forestry regulations. This he said is not only disturbing but unsustainable harvesting.