THE Timber Association of Zambia (TAZ) has bemoaned the alleged exploitation of Zambian timber producers by foreign middlemen involved in the exportation of Zambian timber.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS today, Timber Association of Zambia Chairman, Charles Masange, said the Zambian timber exporters are realizing very low turnovers compared to what they could have been realizing if they were exporting direct to buyers on the international markets.
He called on government to consider forming a timber auction market at which the timber producers could sell their products unlike the current system of using middlemen who are allegedly just exploiting them.
Mr Masange has also bemoaned the open market trade policy existing under the SADC region.
He said the trading system has disadvantaged Zambian timber producers on the global export markets as it tends to be highly priced due to the high transportation costs hiked by Zambia’s landlocked position.
He said the Zambian timber producers are failing to compete favourably with producers from other countries within the regional economic grouping who have access to the ports within their countries for easier shipping to the export markets.
He cited timber from the DR Congo which is cheaper because the producers have less transportation costs due to their access to the sea ports for shipping to the European and American markets unlike Zambians that have to first transport their timber by road to ports in South Africa, Angola and Tanzania for shipping to exportation to final markets.
The TAZ chairman noted that there is need to harmonize the trade policies in the SADC region to ensure that none of the exporters of various products from member countries are disadvantaged.
And Mr Masange said there was need to promote value addition to the Zambian timber before it could be exported in order earn more from money the timber exports.
Zambian timbers is currently exported in the raw form, a trend that has been criticized by many stakeholders, including government, because it reduces the market value of the product on export markets.
ZANIS
The same plight occurs to copper and other products like coffee and bananas. Unfortunately, there has never been fair trade for Africa. The tables must turn…
What is good is that Zambians are finally speaking up, even in the state of economic hardships our voices are beginning to pierce through. Let take it to the and lets take it to the world hard. Bola Ninpasi like Barcelona showed Manu one step at a time. African nations need to trade amongst each other too without the one Africa noise. Opportunity knocks on our doors but we open them up and beat it to the ground. The fight has officially begun.
No comment the Headline just attracted me ” Exploitation”
Surely microsoft Office
Hi all you bloggers, who just criticize, here is something constructive to do. here is i business opportunity
what is good is that at least timber can be sold to people who really need it. only if quality can be improved then profit will be enevitable and how far much better can government do in controlling the markets not only being interested in TAX:((:d