DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 4 -- TANZANIA has been urged to increase value addition in forest products by shifting from exporting raw timber to producing high-value goods to boost economic growth.

The call was made on Wednesday during Innovation Week Tanzania 2026, where stakeholders highlighted untapped opportunities in the forestry value chain.

Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) forest and environmental economics specialist, Prof Yonika Ngaga, said greater value could be generated by processing timber into finished products such as furniture instead of exporting it in basic form.

“If you cut a tree and turn it into timber before exporting it, you have not added enough value. That timber should be used to make furniture and furthe...