Forest agency, govt talk on timber supplies<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
To resolve the shortage in raw material confronting the
\ncountry's forestry-based enterprises, the newly established
\nForestry Industry Revitalization Agency (BRIK) is currently
\nengaged in talks with the government to match the industry's
\ntimber needs and the country's forest capacity.<\/p>\n
Head of the agency Soewarni said on Tuesday the move was aimed
\nto be the basis for the industry to restructure itself following
\nthe government's plan to cut timber supplies in order to slow
\ndown deforestation.<\/p>\n
\"The figure is needed not only to restructure our factories
\nbut also to decide the selling price of our products,\" said
\nSoewarni.<\/p>\n
This year, the Ministry of Forestry decided to curtail the
\nsupply of timber as raw material for the industry to only 6.5
\nmillion cubic meters from last year's 12 million in order to
\nprevent further destruction of the country's forests.<\/p>\n
The decision was greeted with strong objections from
\nbusinesspeople saying the move could jeopardize the industry as
\nthe maximum capacity output of the industry reaches 63 million
\ncubic meters. This means, they said, many machines, which cost
\nmillions of dollars, would be left idle.<\/p>\n
The agency, which consists mainly of businesspeople from
\ntimber companies, was set up in December last year based on a
\njoint decree signed by Minister of Trade and Industry Rini
\nSuwandi and Minister of Forestry M. Prakosa.<\/p>\n
The agency, which was the brainchild of Rini, is intended to
\nhelp boost the export of the country's timber and timber-related
\nproducts, and resolve the problem of raw material shortages.<\/p>\n
The agency, said Soewarni, would also team up with the
\ngovernment to register all timber and timber-based companies in
\norder to identify dishonest firms which use illegally cut timber
\nin their production.<\/p>\n
The registration was also aimed at selecting companies that
\ndeserved licenses to export timber products. This will enable the
\ngovernment to effectively supervise the export of timber
\nproducts.<\/p>\n
She said the government was planning to limit the number of
\ncompanies licensed to export timber products to make it easier
\nfor it to supervise them.<\/p>\n
Today, supervision is weak so that many companies feel free to
\nbuy illegally cut timber, she said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forest-agency-govt-talk-on-timber-supplies-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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