Raiply Malawi has raised concerns over illegal timber millers who are invading the company’s area in Viphya Plantation.

Raiply spokesperson Dalitso Chimwala highlighted that there is a lack of action in the handling of cases of suspected illegal timber millers.

The above follows after last November, when the company’s Chikangawa Plantation Manager, Nathaniel Nthala, spoke of the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) factory which produces high quality and export value wood products. According to Nthala, the factory‘s operations are threatened by members of the community who set bush fires and cause extensive damage to trees which are main raw materials for the company factory.

The Plantation Manager outlined that Raiply has lost 1,116 hectares of trees, during this year alone “If the destruction of trees can not be urgently addressed, it will have serious reparation on the factory production which will affect the country’s economic growth,” said Nthala