How USAID is helping Indonesia’s vanilla farmers to grow export trade

Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Cirebon, West Java   ●   Fri, September 22, 2017 Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita has clarified on Thursday that the raw rattan export ban was still in place following the introduction of a ministerial regulation on forestry product exports. Earlier, the Indonesian Furniture and Craft Association (HIMKI) voiced their concerns that new Trade Ministry Regulation No. 38/M-DAG/PER/6/2017 would allow exporters to sell raw rattan, whereas the domestic industry needed a steady supply of raw rattan to maintain production. Enggartiasto said the government would continue to ban raw rattan exports, but would allow the export of partially processed rattan to benefit both furniture and rattan producers. “This is the middle way so we can benefit both furniture producers, who are worried they wouldn’t have enough raw materials, and rattan producers, who are worried they cannot sell enough,” he added.