Zambia Mulls Banning Export Of Raw Timber

Zambia plans to ban the export of raw timber to protect its forests, Zambian Vice President Inonge Wina said on Friday.

The country's forests are currently under threat from unscrupulous timber merchants as well as other social practices such as cutting trees for charcoal burning, she said.

In remarks delivered in parliament, the vice president said the government will take measures against exporting raw timber unless there is value addition to it.

She also said the Ministry of National Planning will soon come up with measures to encourage tree re-planting in the country in order to replenish the forests that have been cut indiscriminately.

The African country has about 50 million hectares of forests, and it looses between 250,000 and 300,000 hectares of forests each year, according to government figures.

The forests could contribute up to 10 percent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) if properly managed. However, currently, the contribution is less than 1 percent. (Cihan/Xinhua)