——–It is a result of the increase in export taxes that the trade union of this industry decided to interrupt all customs declarations.

For stakeholders of Cameroon’s timber industry, the tax burden is too high. The 2023 finance law voted last December increased forest taxes and timber export duties from Cameroon. The most affected sector is that of logs (wood still in the trunk state with its bark).

It is in this wake that operators since January 2 are on strike. A strike characterized by the suspension of customs declarations to denounce the tax pressure deemed too strong.

For the employers’ organization association of the wood sector in Cameroon (GFBC) as reported by RFI, the situation is not tenable and the increase supposed to generate new income for the State will threaten companies survival.

The economist and public policies specialist, Alain Karsenty explains that  the risk of excessive tax pressure is to see companies in the formal sector close and part of the logging activity join the opacity of the informal sector.