S. Sumatra wood exports up

JAKARTA (JP): South Sumatra earned US$4.19 million from 7,259.6 tons of plywood export in December 1999, up 18.25 percent in value from the previous month, the provincial office of the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported on Saturday.

The head of the office, Hariasa Adiwijata, said South Sumatra exported plywood to 14 countries, including Britain, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Belgium, Japan and Denmark, Antara reported from Palembang.

He said China was the largest market, accounting for $1.42 million from 2,262.4 tons of plywood.

Hariasa said the province earned $61.47 million in foreign exchange in December from 46 different commodities outside the oil and gas sector. Plywood ranked fourth after black pepper, tin, and rubber.

Separately, South Sulawesi trade officials said it exported $17.8 million worth of plywood in all of 1999, an increase of 8.83 percent from the previous year.

Head of the local trade office, Hafid Djafar, said that plywood exports declined to 26,107.8 tons from 36,916.25 tons during the year. (07)