The Mozambican authorities, through the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC), are investigating the existence of charcoal smuggling networks to neighboring countries.

According to the director of the Protection and Supervision Services, ANAC is mapping suspected areas of illegal charcoal exploitation.

"There are strong suspicions of the uncontrolled exploitation of forests to obtain charcoal," said Jorge Fernando.

Recently, the National Agency for Environmental Quality Control (AQUA) seized a truck with unspecified quantities of charcoal at the Cuchamano crossing, in Tete province.

According to AQUA, the product, which would have cost the state more than two million meticais, was destined for the neighboring Republic of Zimbabwe.

However, a study by the Rural Observatory (OMR), published in 2022, indicates that around 70 to 80% of the urban population in Mozambique uses coal as their primary source of energy.

The same document stresses that charcoal consumption is set to grow due to the increase in population density, especially around Mozambique's large cities.