Soeharto wants wood exports boosted<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto yesterday urged Minister of
\nForestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo to boost the country's
\nexports of plywood and pulp, without sacrificing the forests'
\nsustainability.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin told journalists after a meeting with Soeharto that
\nthe president was concerned about the decrease in the country's
\nexports of a number of commodities, including wood products.<\/p>\n
\"As the growth of exports of several commodities has been
\ndecreasing, especially wood products, we are advised ... to boost
\nexports without destroying our forests,\" said Djamaludin, who was
\naccompanied by senior officials of his ministry in the meeting
\nwith the President.<\/p>\n
Official data shows that Indonesian exports of wood products
\ndecreased by 2.6 percent in the January-August period of last
\nyear to US$3.5 billion from the corresponding period in 1993. The
\ndecline resulted mainly from a drop in plywood exports, which
\nfell by 7.9 percent to $2.6 billion.<\/p>\n
To offset the decline in plywood exports, Soeharto asked the
\nminister to promote the further development of the pulp industry
\nas its prospects were good.<\/p>\n
The price of pulp on the world market has been increasing
\nrecently, reaching $700 per ton, an increase of almost 60 percent
\nfrom the last few years.<\/p>\n
Djamaludin said that to support the export growth of pulp, the
\ngovernment has approved 13 new pulp projects, whose construction
\nis expected to commence within the next five to 10 years with an
\nannual production capacity of about 450,000 tons per plant.<\/p>\n
Given its abundant resources, the minister said, Indonesia has
\ngreat potential for future exports of wood products, provided it
\ncan maintain the sustainability of its forests.<\/p>\n
\"Although we still have abundant forests, many illegal logging
\nactivities are continuing,\" Djamaludin warned.<\/p>\n
He said the immediate task of the forestry industry is
\nmaintaining the supply level of raw materials to the existing
\nplants, especially plywood plants.<\/p>\n
The minister said the government will support the development
\nof industrial forests by private sector companies so that the
\nfelling of trees in natural forests will be minimized.<\/p>\n
\"We have already spurred the development of industrial
\nforests. However, logs from our virgin forests will still be
\ndominant among our forestry products for the next 10 years,\"
\nDjamaludin said. (rid)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soeharto-wants-wood-exports-boosted-1447893297",
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