State forest firm books sharp rise in net profit
State forest firm books sharp rise in net profit
JAKARTA (JP): The after-tax profits of the state-owned
Perhutani forestry company rose by 168 percent from Rp 24.1
billion in 1992 to Rp 64.6 billion (US$30.76 million) in 1993,
the company said yesterday.
The president of Perhutani, Harnanto H.M., said in a hearing
with the House of Representatives (DPR) yesterday that the 1993
balance sheet is still being audited by the Government Audit
Agency (BPKP), but preliminary estimates put its net profits at
Rp 64.6 billion.
"BPKP has almost always approved Perhutani's financial reports
without reservations," Harnanto said, referring to the
reliability of the company's balance sheet.
Perhutani administers and manages the entire 2.55 million
hectares of forest in Java, except that in Yogyakarta.
Harnanto told members of the House's Commission IV, dealing
with forestry and agricultural affairs, that Perhutani's total
revenues rose from Rp 320 billion in 1992 to Rp 421.3 billion in
1993.
He said that in the near future, Perhutani will place more
attention on human resources development and diversify its
forest-based products to include honey, silk, resin of certain
trees -- the gandarukem (a tree that provides resin used for
caulking and soap), getah damar, getah pinus and other trees --
as well as eco-tourism.
"Perhutani is looking for cooperation with private companies
to promote forest tourism," he said, adding that based on the
present situation, Perhutani has some 200 potential tourist
resorts.
Thirteen members of the commission, however, raised dozens of
questions and suggested that the state-owned company emphasize
its prosperity-approach programs to help the people living near
the forests.
Deforestation
Djasman Ismail of the Armed Forces faction (ABRI) and Yunus
Kardi of the Golongan Karya faction (FKP) said that deforestation
has occurred in some teak forests in Cirebon, Majalengka and
Cikampek, all in West Java, to make way for real estate
development.
Djasman reminded Perhutani that only 22.8 percent of the
densely populated Java Island are forested.
"The rest will likely become a forest of steel and concrete,"
he said, adding that the ideal size of forested area should be 30
percent of the total land area.
Harnanto said Perhutani currently employs some 17,000 white-
collar workers, of which only three percent are university
graduates, and 61,000 blue collar workers.
He said Perhutani avoids the use of machinery in its
operations in order to employ as many people as possible, even
though efficiency requires mechanical work.(09)