By CHATULA KANGALI and KENNEDY MUPESENI – THE Zambia National Association for Saw Millers (ZNAS) has said the demand for local timber from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) businessmen has drastically reduced. And the new Timber Act number 4 of 2015 will attract more private players in the timber industry as the sector would be allowed to set plantations in different parts of the country. ZNAS president William Bwalya said the demand for timber from the Congolese had reduced due to the formalising of trade between the two countries. Business executives from DRC had in the past been buying timber in large quantities from local saw millers and later exporting the commodity to their country. Mr Bwalya said in an interview that Congolese buyers were now required to pay tax at the border for the timber to enter their country. “It has now become expensive for Congolese businessmen to buy timber from Zambia because they need to pay tax. From the time the trade between Zambia and DRC was formalised, no Congolese has been coming to buy timber from us,” he said. Mr Bwalya said the association would ensure that timber remains a major material in the construction industry by pegging it at affordable prices. He further said the participation of the private sector in timber plantation would increase production in the country. “The future of the timber industry in the country is bright, as you know Government came up with the Timber Act of 2015 which allows the private sector to set up plantations in any part of the country,” he said. He said plans by ZAFFICO to set up new plantations had brightened the future outlook of the timber industry. “It is good that ZAFFICO is replanting and want to establish plantations in Kawambwa, Choma and Isoka with other private entities also planning to set up plantations too,” he said.