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TPAZ bemoans lack of proper timber market

• Most Investors who have come into the country’s timber sector are not adding any value to the sector.
• They are collecting timber from Zambians, process it and export to their countries of origin.
• It’s important to come up with timber auction floors so that foreigners who are coming to the country cannot be exporters of Zambia’s commodities.

Timber Producers Association of Zambia (TPAZ) says it is working in collaboration with the export development wing under Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to ensure that there is a proper market for timber in the country.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association President Charles Masange lamented that most foreign investors in the timber sector are not adding value to the industry because a number of them are collecting the commodity from Zambians, process it and export to their countries of origin.
Mr. Masange noted that the economy is not performing as expected because Zambia’s timber export structure is not well defined, hence the association is working to ensure the situation is controlled.
“The challenges that we are facing because of not having a proper market in Zambia is that currently, investors who have come in the country in the timber sector, most of them are not adding any value to the sector. Most of them are collecting timber from Zambians, process it and export to their countries of origin, that’s what we don’t want,” Mr. Masange said.
He appealed to the Ministries of Finance and Commerce to observe the conduct of foreign investors in the timber sector as most of them do not have bank accounts in Zambia.
“The reason why our economy is shivering right now is that the structure of the exports is not well defined, that is why we are working hand in hand with the export development wing under Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to see to it that we control this. I am appealing to the Ministry of Finance and Commerce to observe the conduct of these investors who have come in the sector as most of them have no bank accounts in Zambia.” They collect the commodity from Zambians and export to themselves, the money is coming from China for every transaction. Is that adding value to the economy?” he wondered.
Meanwhile, Mr. Masange reaffirmed calls for the establishment of timber auction floors so that foreigners coming into the country cannot be exporters of Zambia’s commodities especially natural resources.
He further appealed to government to make it mandatory for all timber dealers to be a member of the Zambia Development Agency.
“The current situation is very horrible that all the so called dealers in timber are just promoting capital flights. There is no way a transaction can happen in Zambia and wait for Money to be transacted in China.”
“We as Timber Producers have observed that it’s important to come up with auction floors for our commodities so that foreigners who are coming to this country cannot be exporters of our commodities especially our natural resources. We are appealing to the Ministry of Commerce to intervene, that’s why our Kwacha is weakening. Let us be helped to establish the timber auction floors so that the highest bidder for timber at the international market, gets the timber,” he emphasized.

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