The Timber Producers’ Federation (TPF) said that the decline was due to a number of factors, including fire losses, over-cutting and a failure to implement planting programmes.
“As a result there is a desperate shortage of mature pine saw logs,” said TPF chairman Max Gwaunza. “Although some companies have resorted to harvesting their trees at a young age, there is insufficient timber available for all mills to operate at full production.”
The TPF added that the problems in Zimbabwe’s timber industry had affected local trade, with sales at their lowest for 10 years and timber manufacturers operating at 30% production capacity.
