THE Timber Producers Association of Zambia (TPAZ) has urged Government to revoke all timber licences because most investors are allegedly externalising their profits.
TPAZ vice-president Charles Masange said the timber industry is currently dominated by foreign investors, hence the need for Government to sort out the issuance of licences to bring sanity in the industry.
Mr Masange said in an interview in Lusaka that Zambia could realise revenue from the export of timber if the necessary measures are put in place for the industry to positively contribute to country’s economy.
He said the policies should be revised in order for both parties to benefit unlike the current situation where only a few are advantaged noting that the timber sector is only contributing one percent to the Gross Domestic Product.
“The timber industry has been performing very badly because it is overcrowded by foreigners,” he said. He said Government should immediately revise the Investment Act under Zambia Development Agency to scrutinise genuine and fake investors and also constitute a Taskforce to monitor and control timbering in the country.
[pullquote]Mr Masange said currently most foreigners buy timber from the locals at a minimum price of K1 million per tonne and resale at about US$10,000 to 12,000 per tonne.[/pullquote]
Mr Masange said currently most foreigners buy timber from the locals at a minimum price of K1 million per tonne and resale at about US$10,000 to 12,000 per tonne.
He alleged Zambians will continue to be disadvantaged, if the trend of investors engaged in large hectarge of timbering is left unchecked adding that foreign investors should be allowed to participate in the secondary industry so that they export finished materials instead of raw materials.
He said Zambia does not benefit from its timber as it is directly exported to country of the investors’choice.
[pullquote]“I call them (foreign investors) harvesters instead of investors because they are abusing our timber which is natural resources from which we are suppose to benefit locally,” he said .[/pullquote]
“I call them (foreign investors) harvesters instead of investors because they are abusing our timber which is natural resources from which we are suppose to benefit locally,” he said .
He also said the Government should consider funding the wood industry so that it can create jobs, improve people’s livelihood and generally contribute to the development of the country’s economy.
I surely hope that the govt looks into this as soon as possible. Zambia is loosing a lot of money through these “harvestors” as Mr Masange rightly calls them.
It got worse only when RB became president.
Infact our president is very commited to empowering the zambians, and am suer something will be done in shortest possible time, its time to eat and enjoy what is ours
please do….every cent counts to building a better economy for zambia
There is need to streamline investment in Zambia. Foreigners are taking advantage of ignorance over our natural resources. By the time we shall realise that everything has been syphoned in our country it will be too late. Let our Government take a lead in these important areas of econonomy for the benefit of all Zambians
Where is ZAFFICO?It was like ZCCM of those days. I lived in their territory for 2 years and I know what timber can do to the economy.It is a gem!Please look into this matter,we are not a poor country but implementation of plicies is our problem.
Reclam our forests please before we become a desert
There is nothing wrong with externalising ones profits. That is their money! They earn it after paying their obligations to their employees and govt! Zambia a country of economic and business illiterates indeed! Do you want them to give you the money they earn from their investments? Phewwww!
youth empowerment. fi citizen empowerment fimo fomo give us money to buy lumber machinery instead of these harvesters who are just doing the right thing in the wrong place. xternalising
How do you allow foreigners to simply harvest our trees? No foreigner should cut our trees. They can set up sophisticated processing plants that we don’t have technology for, NOT cutting a tree! MMD governments really enjoyed keeping our own people poor.
@ no 6 ZAFFICO is owned by chunk of Indians. Area where we need revenue is full of ba Mwisa (foreigners). In Lundazi u can even use sticks to get minerals but only foreigners use proper equipment and but these precious stones from Zambians. Its a shame mwandi. Sanity is coming.
Ni Doncji Ku Tell Them
Zambians, we need to learn more about preservation of our ecosystem and management of our own resources. My heart cries to read such stories because I have never seen Africans getting rich off European natural resources.
It takes only two beers to get a export license.Our valuable timber is stollen for many years now.Too much corruption. Zambias wealth is looted ,left right and centre.
Very right ban all timber exports with emmediate effect until further notice. Why should we give away our inheritance cheaply. Similary, Zambias should wake up and begin identifying foreign markets and companies they should be selling to directly in foreign currency. Mwebantumwe SHIBUKENI!
Mwebantu Shibukeni (you people wake up) as #14 has alluded too. Timber can be a good source of livelhood in the country. Here is a catch. 1) Form groups, 2) meet your MP tell him you voted for him to lobby funds for investing. he owes you a task 3) get the CDF funds, buy equipement and begin proessing timber and export. In 22 years time you will have money in your pocke. You are in the river and you feel thirst, saying there is no cupt to fetch water, lower your head and drink directly. Those PMS that is there Job. each year its about over K700, Million, from this trust me you can buy those machines for laining timber in readness for end use. Money will be in your pockect. Napapata shibukeni. Ine ndikwanabene by the time I come back ninshi ninkwata more ideas.
I meant 2 years time not 22 years …that is for the next generation. All buiness begin with small ideas. The governement has funds, how can Finance minister buy 1200 bicycles, lets say each bicycl was costing K350,000 X 1200 get the answer, (K42,000,000M. this you can buy an electric plaining machine for timber. Now this is one person. Lets say all MMD candidates were given the same funds of more, that so you say 150 constituency. (K42,000,000 x 150 =K6,300,000,000. This K6 billion. stolen from you and yet youare suffering ??? This money if put to develop the country through thoose groups , you should not suffer at all. Zambians “wake up !! willima Banda was caught with more than K150,000,000 Million when he tried to escape to Malawi. Guys….I feel sorry.:(
This is a very sad story indeed. Why was this left to happen for so long? What was the department of forestry doing all these years?
arrest all the thieves and cancel all xport licences
It is imperative timber industry is monitored and handled very carefully as it is causes deforestation. In addition, in the long run affects the weather patterns and agriculture. The timber industry needs those profits from these exploiters to replant trees and create proper revenue for the country. It would also be wise to grow some Bamboo for people to use for charcoal instead of cutting trees.
When will Zambians wake up and engage i meaningful development projects. This story smacks of ignorance!! The very reason that foreign investors are in Zambia is to make a profit and take that money with them! There is nothing wrong with that! What is stopping Zambians from investing in the timber business. Zambians, I implore you to invest in the timber industry and make money. No one is stopping you. We should not be advocating for suspension of licenses without any insight as to what is going on. Are these investors paying their taxes, are they following the proper channels of exploiting the natural resources, and are they treating their employees with fairness and decency? These are the issues that the government should address.
#20 Suspending the licence is a good idea. We don’t want Zambia to become a desert by a few greedy individuals. This industry needs to be regulated carefully and beneficial for the economy. 1 tonne for 1 million dollars is peanuts when it is being sold at $10,000
#20 Mind typo error I meant 1 tonne for timber at K1million kwacha when timber is being sold at $10,000 dollars is peanuts.
This is a great sign! Our timber is in great demand. Proper processing plants need to be set up to be able to process this timber add value to it and then export it. Telephone poles, planks, furniture etc. Do we need IKEA to come down and set up a plant for us?
It will take time for us to learn how to make money, school syllabi need to be updated to include entrepreneurship.
Zambians, sure after 47 yrs independent but still cant rule ourselves. What is the problem – corruption, illiteracy, incompetency, lack of management skills, lazy to think or lack of leadership?
These foreigners seem to be more clever than we are. How can we be crying all the time “Foreigners have done this to us”! Can we be able to manage ourselves and our affairs for once? Are we incapable?
Thank God the Almighty that MMD rule came to an abrupt end, otherwise Zambia would have become a desert. The new government should crack down all these so-called investors, and also embark on planting trees all over Zambia. Zambians have to take control of their natural resources and not leave them at the mercy of ‘infestors.’ Clearly, the previous regime prioritized investors ahead of Zambians. Now we have country back, as Zambian PRIDE has been restored.
These pipo have really raveged our resources,fellow zambian now are unable to compete in this industry because of this influx. foriegners come with more money to corrupt our timba officials such that they are the only ones being given licences as priority,infact we dont need these harvesters in this industry,we zambians can do it ourselves
I do not see any harm in foreigners externalising their profits. Why invest if you cannot make money and keep it where you want. Philippinos abroad repatriate their earnings and contribute to up to 60% of the GDP. Mexicans externalised more than $10 billion from US. The trouble is that we are just jealous when we see foreigners making money. To stop this from happening, wake up and compete with them. Then put up taxes in proportion with the profit. Over and above this, make sure that of every ONE tree felled, the investor plants FIVE back. New Zealand is smaller than Zambia but it has the largest man made forest in the world. New Zealand exports timber and that is the third largest contributor to GDP after tourism and fishing. Don’t cry. Do something!
the investers in mulobezi so called zambezi sawmils there are just cutting timber without developin the area they are real harvesters government do something please….
very true mr masange but can you also please point out some ZAMBIAN CROOKS in the timber industry some of which you work with. the fact that they don’t export does not disqualify them from being plunderers of this natural resource timber. Check yourselves first.
just come to western province and thats when you will aapreciate the nonsence in this sector. chinese, south africans and some Germans are busy raping the forests without planting any trees. what boggles me is that some trees are cut and logs are just left without collection. please minister of lands and resources just take a deliberate trip from kaoma to lukulu and pass through mayukwayukwa, you will find abandoned logs everywhere. if you go further than lukulu as you approach watopa you will find one white person who has also raped the forests deep in its entirity. there will no longer be Musauli tree (rosewood) anymore.
For your information. Most of these foreigners are now Zambians,The harwesting will go on?? too late.
charles what is your e-mail address i want to contact you directly i am currently in johannesburg south africa please reply