"With their investments totaling Rp32 trillion, the forest-based wood industries absorbed a total of 237,824 workers. It`s big number, and it should be noted that those living around forests are poor people," the forestry ministry`s secretary general, Hadi Daryanto, said here recently.
Many investors had realized that the forestry business was a sunrise rather than a sunset industry, according to Hadi.
Production of plywood reached a volume of 11.8 million m3, veneer 2.4 million m3, sawn timber 6.2 million m3, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) 527 m3, and wood pallet energy 474,000 m3.
The forestry ministry during the same period has issued new 64 concessionary holding licenses with additional investment valued at Rp3.9 trillion.
"The number of workers employed in the new projects is 27.446 people," he said.
The new projects include plywood industries with a production capacity of 669,000 m3, veneer 1.4 million m3, sawn timber 663,000 m3, LVL 67,000 m3, woodchip 9.2 million m3, and wood pallet 225,000 m3. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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