(Business in Cameroon) - During Q1, 2018, Cameroon’s wood exporters exported 3,400 metric tons of the commodity to the European Union.
According to the latest sectoral report published by the International Tropical Timber Organization, this volume represents a decrease by 11% on a year-on-year basis.
Two factors could have contributed to this fact. First, there is the preference for the Chinese market. Indeed, since the FLEGT partnership agreement is more stringent, the exporters turned towards the Chinese market deemed less tough on wood regulations, local NGOs reveal.
There is also the increase of the Cameroonian wood’s price this year (consecutive to the increased taxes on wood exports consecrated in the 2018 finance bill). Such increase repelled the traditional buyers.
Brice R. Mbodiam