By ESTHER NG’ANDU –
THE Zambia National Association for Sawmillers (ZNAS) has concluded a memorandum of cooperation with E-wood Network Technologies of China to encourage trade between the two associations.
ZNAS president, William Bwalya said the organisation was reforming the current business model of the wood industry.
Mr Bwalya said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that ZNAS intends to collaborate with global timber traders, policy makers and trade federations.
He said the association was setting up the e-commerce network platform to enable members sell timber at both local and international levels.
“In order to mitigate the problem of low marketing skills, the association is setting up the  e-commerce network platform to enable members  sell timber and other wood articles internationally and locally through the use of  Internet in collaboration with partner trade federations,’’ he said.
Mr Bwalya said due to challenges faced in the trading of timber, there was need to intensify efforts to explore more timber markets for members in order to facilitate economic performance.
“Our members have been dealing low timber prices, low domestic demand of wood and trying to cost their timber with inflation levels in mind but can no longer continue to increase prices as that could lead to over pricing timber and subsequent loss of business,” he said.
Mr Bwalya said the price of wood from the Zambia Forestry and Forest Corporation (ZAFFICO), had continued to rise by 30 per cent every year in the last three years.
He further observed that the supplier had continuously considered the inflation rate in its pricing of round wood to dealers.
He said China was the world’s largest consumer and producer of wood articles as its total demand for wood was around 420 million cubic metres.