The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
WHILE the El Nino phenomenon inflicted a prolonged dry spell that adversely affected the production of food, leading to the declaration of a state of disaster in the country, the same weather condition has seen a boon in the timber industry which is reportedly accruing profits.
Zimbabwe’s commercial timber industries are largely concentrated in the Eastern Highlands of Manicaland, given its favourable climatic and environmental conditions for the fast growing exotic species.
In an interview on the performance of the sector against a background of the El Nino-induced drought, Timber Producers Federation of Zimbabwe (TPFZ) chief executive officer, Mr Darlington Duwa said normal seasons are usually problematic by making timber harvesting operations deleterious as the roads will be slippery, while plantations will be inaccessible.
“The effects of the dry spell had mixed effects on the timber industry. In a normal season (with abundant rains), timber harvesting operations are deleteriously affected as roads will be slippery and timber compartments become inaccessible, particularly those on steep slopes and heavy soils.
“This necessitates expensive road rehabilitation as well as increase in the cost of production. In this context, the El Nino phenomenon has helped timber producers,” he said.
Mr Duwa said timber drying has also been made easier with the dry spell.
“Air drying of produced timber is quicker in dry weather. The industry does not have adequate artificial (kiln-drying) capacity, hence their reliance on natural (air drying). As a result, the El Nino phenomenon has assisted in timber drying,” he said.
However, the dry spell also had its fair share of negative impact to the industry.
“Despite the positive impacts outlined above, there are negative impacts, chief among them being the negative effect on the growth of trees — this has slowed the growth rates, with tree mortality in the most extreme of cases.
“Tree planting is also affected as this has led to reduced tree planting. Already our planting targets for 2023/2024 have been negatively affected. There is also the aspect of increased production costs as employees need to be nutritionally assisted,” he said.
“Overly, the association is happy with the rate at which members are planting. Members of the public, perhaps would like to see higher rates of planting. However, it is not planting alone which is important. The maintenance of the plantations (silviculture) is important if one is to realise quality products at the end of the rotation.
“The current and projected short term economic situation may not allow timber companies to plant and maintain large areas of plantations.
“However, it would be good if the rate of planting could be maintained at current rates without negative fluctuations,” he added.
Mr Duwa outlined some factors that hinder large-scale plantations.
“Several factors hinder large-scale planting. The most important are the financial resources for land preparation, planting, weeding, pruning and thinning.
They work against large-scale planting.
“Financial resources to maintain the trees — weeding, pruning and thinning, labour to carry out the operations and equipment for operations, are some of the factors that have a bearing on the size of a plantation,” he said.
Mr Duwa said weather conditions also have an effect on planting patterns.
“Weather conditions — planting is done when adequate rains have been received, to achieve acceptable seedling survival rates and tree growth. Sound forest management requires that forests are planted in such a way that one has evenly distributed age classes not just one huge age class.
“One can use an analogy of tomatoes. If you plant a large area of tomatoes, they usually ripe at once and you have to harvest them. If one is to lose the planted area due to say fire or pests, this will be terrible loss,” he said.
Mr Duwa said the prices of timber products are fair, but bemoaned ‘dumping of products to third parties’.
“We are happy as an industry with the prices obtaining on the market, but there seems to be dumping of products mainly by third parties who sell wet timber. Customers are advised to use dry timber for structural works,” he said.
