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AKARTA: The government has begun recording inter-island rattan delivery for domestic supply following the recent ban on raw rattan exports in an effort to revive the ailing local rattan industry.

 Trade Ministry’s domestic trade director general Gunaryo said on Friday the move was expected to ensure sufficiency of raw material supply for the domestic rattan industry after fielding numerous complaints about shortages of raw material due to rattan exports. The government banned rattan exports last month to help address the issue.

 As of Feb. 9, appointed surveyor PT Sucofindo recorded shipments of 4,197 tons of rattan in 294 containers from the producing areas of Banjarmasin, Makassar and Palu to industrial areas in Medan, Jakarta, Cirebon, Surabaya and Denpasar.

 “Through such verification we expect to calculate the amount of local industry needs for rattan,” he told reporters during a briefing at his office.