Ugandan forestry officials say prices of certain timber species have trebled at merchants in Kampala during the last year.
The soaring rates, affecting species such as pine, are being attributed to growing timber demand and dwindling supply levels. A boom in Uganda’s construction industry has contributed to the shortage.
Pine products, regarded as inferior until about five year ago, are now higher priced than mahogany.
Officials estimate that about 60,000ha worth of production is needed to satisfy demand but only 2,000ha are available in plantations throughout western Uganda and parts of West Nile.
