Indonesian wood products exports set to rise this year

Source:
ITTO/Fordaq
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Indonesian wood product exports rose slightly above 1% in 2017, according to Rufi'ie, Director of the Indonesian Forest Product Processing and Marketing in the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. However, he pointed out that in terms of tonnage 2017 exports dropped.

Despite this sobering news timber sector entrepreneurs are optimistic that they will increase exports in 2018 said the Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Sawn Timber and Processed Timber (ISWA).

According to ISWA, processed wood sales up to October in 2017 amounted to US$1.72 billion which, says Soewarni, could grow to US$2 billion. Soewarni considers the export of FLEGT licensed timber will improve the competitiveness of Indonesian wood products because the product is recognised as coming from legal timber.

In related news, the Indonesian Minister of Industry, Airlangga Hartarto, has said Indonesia's exports face some obstacles in international markets such as high import duties. According to Airlangga, efforts must be made to increase the number of trade agreements to bring tariffs down.

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