The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
The Bamboo and Rattan Sectors in Asia: an Analysis of ... - INBAR
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<strong>The</strong> study <strong>in</strong> Indonesia produced two reports. <strong>The</strong> first, focus<strong>in</strong>g on statistical<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> policy issues <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> authored by Nasendi (1994), shows the high levels<br />
<strong>of</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> production <strong>in</strong> Indonesia, the world's lead<strong>in</strong>g producer <strong>of</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong>. As early as<br />
1968, Indonesia produced more th<strong>an</strong> 40.7 million tons, ma<strong>in</strong>ly for export. This <strong>in</strong>creased<br />
to a high <strong>of</strong> 199.1 million tons <strong>in</strong> 1987. A b<strong>an</strong> on the export <strong>of</strong> unprocessed ratt<strong>an</strong><br />
implemented <strong>in</strong> 1987 led to a drastic fall <strong>in</strong> exports <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> production. Domestic<br />
process<strong>in</strong>g capacity has <strong>in</strong>creased steadily s<strong>in</strong>ce the b<strong>an</strong>, to the po<strong>in</strong>t that raw material<br />
production was back to about 145 million tons by 1992. <strong>Ratt<strong>an</strong></strong> f<strong>in</strong>ished products,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g furniture, h<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>icrafts <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> various k<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> mats, have become import<strong>an</strong>t<br />
export products, earn<strong>in</strong>g US$293 million <strong>an</strong>nually. <strong>The</strong> furniture <strong>in</strong>dustry has seen<br />
the largest ga<strong>in</strong>s, grow<strong>in</strong>g from US$45 million <strong>in</strong> 1988 to US$240 million <strong>in</strong> 1992. This<br />
tr<strong>an</strong>slates <strong>in</strong>to considerable employment generation; more th<strong>an</strong> 150 000 persons are<br />
estimated as employed <strong>in</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> products m<strong>an</strong>ufactur<strong>in</strong>g. This number <strong>in</strong>cludes only<br />
those <strong>in</strong> the formal sector <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> therefore underestimates considerably the total<br />
employment. <strong>The</strong> second report by S<strong>in</strong>ung <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> Satria (1996) is a comprehensive review<br />
<strong>of</strong> the literature concern<strong>in</strong>g all aspects <strong>of</strong> the bamboo <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> sectors <strong>in</strong> Indonesia.<br />
<strong>The</strong> review <strong>in</strong>cludes a large number <strong>of</strong> publications that were available only <strong>in</strong> the<br />
gray literature, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> m<strong>an</strong>y <strong>of</strong> them <strong>in</strong> Bahasa Indonesia.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se studies, apart from provid<strong>in</strong>g valuable <strong>in</strong>dications <strong>of</strong> the size <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong><br />
import<strong>an</strong>ce <strong>of</strong> bamboo <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> sectors <strong>in</strong> several <strong>Asia</strong>n countries, have highlighted<br />
the weaknesses <strong>in</strong> the available data. As Pabuayon <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> Esp<strong>an</strong>to noted <strong>in</strong> their review<br />
from the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es, a country with one <strong>of</strong> the best data sets, the <strong>an</strong>alysis was<br />
limited because <strong>of</strong>:<br />
"...lack <strong>of</strong> updated forest <strong>in</strong>ventory after 1987; lack <strong>of</strong> uniform units <strong>of</strong><br />
measurement <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> existence <strong>of</strong> large gaps between years for some <strong>of</strong> the time series<br />
<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> statistical data; under report<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficial production/harvest statistics; noncomparability<br />
<strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs on some economic data (prices, costs, pr<strong>of</strong>its, etc.) s<strong>in</strong>ce<br />
these studies were conducted at different time periods... unclear specifications <strong>of</strong><br />
units <strong>of</strong> measurement <strong>in</strong> some research studies/theses; <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> a lack <strong>of</strong> st<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>ard grad<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> classification system for raw materials."<br />
<strong>The</strong>se same problems were present, <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> sometimes more pronounced, <strong>in</strong> all the<br />
other counties studied. An <strong>INBAR</strong>/Indonesi<strong>an</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry <strong>of</strong> Forestry Workshop on<br />
<strong>Ratt<strong>an</strong></strong> Socio-economics (4-5 November 1996) also noted the 'data problem' as a major<br />
constra<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> efforts to <strong>an</strong>alyse policy <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> to design strategies for develop<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
sector.<br />
A subsequent activity at the University <strong>of</strong> the Philipp<strong>in</strong>es at Los Baños has<br />
collated <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> st<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong>ardized the <strong>in</strong>formation from the first round <strong>of</strong> studies <strong>in</strong> a report<br />
entitled <strong>Bamboo</strong> <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> <strong>Ratt<strong>an</strong></strong> Database: Selected <strong>Asia</strong>n Countries (by Isabelita M. Pabuayon<br />
<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> Le<strong>in</strong>a H. Esp<strong>an</strong>to). Further work is required to gather <strong>in</strong>formation <strong>in</strong> other<br />
import<strong>an</strong>t bamboo <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> ratt<strong>an</strong> produc<strong>in</strong>g countries. Also, action is required to estimate<br />
global dem<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> dem<strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> trends to help set research <strong><strong>an</strong>d</strong> development policies <strong>in</strong><br />
these sectors. <strong>The</strong>se are issues that <strong>INBAR</strong> will address <strong>in</strong> com<strong>in</strong>g years.<br />
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