Forestry export revenues rose 16% last year<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Export receipts from forestry last year
\nincreased 16 percent to US$8.3 billion from US$7.1 billion in
\n1995, according to Minister of Forestry Djamaludin
\nSuryohadikusumo.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin predicted that export earnings from forestry would
\ncontinue to rise this year because of an expected increase in
\npulp and paper production and several other downstream products.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a year-end press conference earlier this week,
\nDjamaludin said export earnings from furniture and other products
\nhad increased from $458 million in 1995 to $541 million in 1996,
\nwhile export earnings from plywood had risen from $3.94 billion
\nto 4.73 billion.<\/p>\n
Export earnings from pulp and paper products rose from $1.24
\nbillion in 1995 to $1.52 billion in 1996, while those from rattan
\nand rattan products increased to $471 million from $368.1
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said the rise in export revenue from forestry was
\nmostly caused by better world prices and increased export
\nvolumes, particularly of pulp and paper.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said he was confident that wood-based products and
\nnon-wood forestry products, such as gum resin and turpentine,
\nwould follow this trend.<\/p>\n
He said the growth of the pulp and paper industry, which has
\ntaken off in the last two years, was expected to push up export
\nvolumes further and, in turn, export revenue from forestry.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said ecology tourism (ecotourism), which was
\nbecoming more popular, was expected to become a major cash earner
\nfor forestry.<\/p>\n
Ecotourism destinations in Indonesia include Tanjung Puting in
\nCentral Kalimantan and the Bunaken National Marine Park in North
\nSulawesi.<\/p>\n
\"The fact that the increase in exports have come not only from
\nplywood but also from other products proves the government's
\nsuccess in diversifying forestry-based exports,\" Djamaludin was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
Plywood exports used to be forestry's main foreign exchange
\nearner.<\/p>\n
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, plywood exports
\nmade up 7.19 percent of the value of the country's non-oil and
\ngas exports between January and August last year.<\/p>\n
It was the largest single foreign exchange earner in that
\ncategory, followed by garment exports (7.14 percent) and footwear
\nexports (4.45 percent).<\/p>\n
The state's revenue from reforestation funds and forest
\nroyalties last year were Rp 880.7 billion and Rp 592.8 billion,
\nrespectively. The state made Rp 806.6 billion and Rp 539.3
\nbillion from them, respectively, in 1995.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin predicted that earnings from reforestation funds
\nand forest royalties would increase about 10 percent this year
\nbecause there would be more land-clearing and forest-conversion
\nprojects.<\/p>\n
They include the conversion of one million hectares of peat
\nland in Central Kalimantan into rice fields and agricultural
\nplantations.<\/p>\n
Reforestation funds and forest royalties are mandatory levies
\nimposed on forest concessionaires to ensure they manage their
\nforests in an environmentally sustainable manner. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/forestry-export-revenues-rose-16-last-year-1447893297",
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