The Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority (FRCA) have highlighted the need for value adding to Fijian products to be able to get maximum returns for their products.

The FRCA principal analyst David Baleinacagi said Fiji could significantly increase earnings from products such as mahogany, pine and traditional species if companies were able to better utilise waste.

Baleinacagi says Value adding is very critical and that Government is looking into allocating resources to implement policies and additional resources from development partners to encourage value addition to Fijian products.

The Department of Forestry’s Akapusi Kolitagane echoed similar sentiments saying through value addition, Fijians would be able to not only maximize monetary value but also decrease waste.

Kolitagane said a survey done by the department has revealed that only 42 per cent of a mahogany is used while other parts such as branches are left behind in the forests.