(Business in Cameroon) - The International Tropical Timber Organization reveals that though Chinese buyers continue to ignore woods from Cameroon (following wood exports’ tax increase Cameroonians are trying to pass on buyers), this has no impact on Cameroon’s wood sale at the international level for the time being.

The organization which revealed this in its sectoral report for the period from June 1 to 15, 2018, also explains that Cameroonian exporters are suspected of declaring lower quality woods to customs in order to reduce their exploitation cost.

If this is true, such practice could help exporters face the increased customs charges and at the same time keep their products’ competitivity at the international level but the public treasury will lose important fiscal revenues.

Indeed, in the 2018 fiscal law, Cameroon increased the wood export taxes. Due to this, exporters also increased their woods’ prices but Chinese buyers did not appreciate. In addition, the country’s wood exports to the European Union dropped by 11% during Q1, 2018, the International Tropical Timber Organisation revealed.

Brice R. Mbodiam