By KENNEDY MUPESENI – BOARD Meb Investment Limited, a sole distributor of wood processing machinery manufactured and distributed by Wood Mizer Group in Zambia, has called for a restriction in the export of raw timber out of the country. This is to encourage value addition to timber in the country and enable the country realise much needed revenue from the timber natural resource. Marketing manager Brian Kafunda said there was need to discourage the export of raw timber to encourage wood beneficiation. “The unregulated export of timber is not helping matters, we need to add value to the timber especially hard woods being harvested in our forests whose proceeds could be ploughed into other sectors of the economy,” Mr Kafunda said. He said this in an interview in Kitwe. Mr Kafunda said through the franchise with an international wood processing manufacturer and supplier, his company was offering Zambian clients with state-of-the-art timber processing equipment. “We have advanced machinery for wood processing which is able to turn around the timber industry for the better if it is utilised,” he said. Mr Kafunda said the future of the timber industry was bright looking at the major forests which were not yet exploited but he was quick to point out that caution should be taken by ensuring that locals get benefits. He encouraged banks and other financial institutions to come to the aid of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with asset loans to enable them acquire wood processing machinery. “Financial institutions should not deny wood processors’ funding, this is a lucrative business, they can be able to pay back and on our part we are able to supply any size of machinery using our connections with Wood Mizer Group,” Mr Kafunda said.