Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry facilitated interactions between raw and semi-finished rattan producers and advanced processing industries to strengthen Indonesia's rattan industry.
Ristianto Pribadi, the ministry's Director of Forest Product Processing and Marketing Management, emphasized that rattan, with its abundant supply in Indonesia, is a sustainable non-timber forest product.
"Approximately 80 percent of the world's rattan raw materials are sourced from Indonesia," he said in a statement on Saturday.
Rattan is biodegradable, and its processed products are considered environmentally friendly.
Rattan products are a significant export commodity for Indonesia. However, exports declined by 54.92 percent from 64,980 tons in 2021 to 35,690 tons in 2023.
Pribadi noted that the decline in exports negatively impacted the production of raw and semi-finished rattan products, which rely on the advanced processing industry.
Indonesia's rattan processing industry faces competition from other countries, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Additionally, synthetic rattan products have posed challenges to Indonesia's rattan production.
To address these challenges, Pribadi said that his office convened a meeting on rattan product processing to facilitate communication between rattan producers and advanced processing industry players.
The meeting focused on strategic issues confronting the rattan processing industry, from raw material sourcing to finished product production.
The meeting also explored strategies for market creation and efficient management of the rattan supply chain.
Pribadi anticipated that the meeting would generate insights into the challenges facing the rattan industry and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
The meeting sought to develop policy recommendations and concrete actions to enhance the performance and governance of the rattan industry.
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Translator: Subagyo, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
