South Kalimantan Forestry develops cultivation of non-timber forest products

Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - South Kalimantan Forestry Agency is developing an economic program of non-timber forest products (HHBK) as an effort to improve the welfare of people around the forest.

"One of the main concepts of the Green Revolution is the welfare of communities around the forest. Besides wood, the provincial government is now actively developing NTFP (HHBK)," said the Agency's Head of Marketing and Processing of Forest Product and PNBP (nontax levies) M Irvan in Banjarbaru, Monday.

According to him, the 1.7 million hectare of South Kalimantan forest has various type of NTFP, both those have been worked by local people from generation to generation, as well as developed by the local government.

As an effort to develop NTFP, the provincial government has invited communities around the forest to develop various existing potential.

The potential that has grown rapidly and is able to boost people's income includes natural honey, local coffee, brown sugar, brown rice, and hazelnut oil. 

In addition, there are processed mushrooms, lemongrass oil, ironwood fruit oil, cinnamon, herbs, rattan mats, rattan chairs, as well as natural attraction from the forest area of South Kalimantan.

Several Forest Management Units (KPH) have built Forest Product Marketing Center. Here displayed, some NTFP products, such as natural honey, local coffee, brown sugar, brown rice, and hazelnut oil. 

Head of Planning and Forest Utilization (PPH) of the South Kalimantan Forest Agency Warsita said various NTFP products are starting to be marketed through online markets, such as Shopee and Bukalapak. 

"This is also an important part of the 4.0 industrial revolution," he said. 
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