Quota hampers rattan exports

Jakarta Forum-ANTARA News - The rattan export quota for the April - June 2011 period has not yet been issued so that rattan exports are now being hampered, a rattan businessman said.

The delay in their exports caused the quality of rattan products which are now ready for export to be reduced, Lisman Sumardjani, secretary general of the Indonesian Rattan Businessmen (APRI) said here on Sunday.

He said that the Ministry of Trade up to now has not yet issued a quota for the exports of rattan in the April - June period.

"We don`t know the reasons behind the Trade Ministry to hold on the rattan quota which should have been issued in April," Lisman said.

He said that APRI members who were scattered in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi were waiting for the issuance of the rattan export quota.

The delay in the issuance of the quota caused the fate of about 1,500 - 2000 tons rattan ready for export to become uncertain and lost their quality margin.

He said that the trade ministry did not pay attention to rattan businesses as reflected in its policy when it reduced rattan export quota from 50 percent to only 40 percent in October 2010. It further cut the quota to 30 percent since January 2011.
(Uu.A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH Source: Antara News