• This year the sector has not performed well because of policy inconsistency.
• Players in the industry didn’t have an opportunity to sale their timber accordingly.
• The sector was under siege.
Timber Producers Association of Zambia (TPAZ) has attributed the sector’s poor performance this year to policy inconsistency.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Association President Charles Masange noted that players in the timber industry did not have an opportunity to sale their timber as expected because the sector was under siege.
Mr. Masange said despite Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu trying to put in place measures to find a market for timber, the process has taken too long.
“This year the sector has not performed well because of policy inconsistency. The players in the industry didn’t have an opportunity to sale their timber accordingly. The sector was under siege, it was captured but now that we have a new government, we expect things to change by finding a solution.”
“I know that the current Minister of Green Economy is trying to put measures to come up with where timber can be sold to ensure that every Zambian benefits fairly but it has taken too long because timber producers live by producing and selling timber. Concessional holders have to pay government every month,” Mr. Masange stated.
He implored the Minster to ensure that the Forest Act is followed accordingly in order for Timber Producers to work properly.
“All we are appealing to the Minster is that for us to work properly, is to see to it that the Forest Act is followed accordingly. Let them not do things in the timber sector contrary to the Act,” he emphasized.
