Central Sulawesi forests unproductive<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Forestry has decided not to
\nextend any forest concessions in Central Sulawesi, the province's
\nGovernor Azis Lamajido said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Lamajido told journalist after meeting with President Soeharto
\nthat the decision had been made because the province's forests
\nhad become unproductive.<\/p>\n
\"In the future, forest management in Sulawesi will be carried
\nout by state-owned PT Inhutani I and Inhutani II, together with
\nlocal state firms and the private sector,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said there were currently seven concessionaires managing
\nthe province's forests.<\/p>\n
The government's decision to hand over the management of the
\nconcessions to Inhutani was aimed at restoring the potential of
\nthe forest's resources and to improve forest preservation in the
\nregion.<\/p>\n
In the future, Lamajido said, the development of the forests
\nwould focus on the planting of ebony trees.<\/p>\n
He said the prospect for ebony wood is still favorable and
\ndemand for the wood is very strong.<\/p>\n
He admitted that cases of wood theft and smuggling were still
\nrampant. The high incidence of violations, he said, was caused
\nnot only by the high market price of ebony but also because of
\nthe ban on exports of ebony logs.<\/p>\n
\"Cases of theft and smuggling still exist, but they are only
\npetty thefts. We can handle them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Prices of ebony currently reaches US$15,000 per cubic meter.<\/p>\n
Since the government started awarding forest concessions to
\nprivate companies in the early 1970s, 111 have been revoked due
\nto poor forest management. Currently, 491 forest concessionaires
\noperate in the country. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/central-sulawesi-forests-unproductive-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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