(Ecofin Agency) - Is Mozambique trying to reverse a trend destructive for its logging industry? The country has just announced the commencement of an inquiry into the illicit exports of wood to China, after the discovery of 70 containers loaded with wood of the “chanate” variety leaving the Beira Port.

For the country, it is about sending a strong signal to smugglers in a context where illegal exports to China cost USD 102 million to Mozambique, according to 2013 data. It is worth mentioning that the difference between the profits received from legal exports (USD 530 per container) and those received from illegal exports (USD 2340) justify the appeal of smuggling.

If, according to the Mozambican government wood exports to China were officially of 54,000 m3 in 2013, the Chinese authorities, on their part announced having processed around 346,000 m3 of goods…