Lusaka — Zambia's lawmakers are preparing to put a moratorium on the country's timber trade, blaming foreigners for a surge in illegal logging and timber exports, experts say.

The moratorium will restrict domestic logging and ban the export of timber from the country, they said. 

In June 2013, Wylbur Simuusa, the then-minister for lands, natural resources and environmental protection, cancelled all the government's timber concessions with foreign nations and local private timber operators, citing allegations of corruption, malpractice and mismanagement in the industry. Read more