No more rattan exports from Indonesia

Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan has officially signed a ministerial decree banning the export of rattan raw materials.

Under the decree, signed on Wednesday, rattan exports will be completely halted from Jan.1, 2012.

“I have signed the decree this morning. Rattan exports will completely stop from Jan. 1,” Gita said on Wednesday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

After the decree was imposed, he expected all rattan raw materials to be absorbed by the domestic industry and that rattan farmers would not suffer from losses.

“We want to encourage improvements in scale and quality of rattan products in the downstream,” said Gita.