REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Ministry of Industry, Ministry of National Development Planning, and Ministry of Forestry on Tuesday commit to develop bamboo industry in Indonesia.
"We will dig the advantage of bamboo as prime commodity with high economic value," a written declaration of the three ministries said.
On the declaration, the ministries coordinate some policies related to the development of bamboo industry in both upstream and downstream.
In upstream, the Ministry of Forestry will provide staple and bamboo conservation. While on the downstream, the Ministry of Industry will encourage the industry to process the staple. Ministry of National Development Planning will be tasked as coordinator drafting integrated plan.
The ministries believe that bamboo has strategic role in conservation and industry. They are optimistic that the industry can be developed further as Indonesia is the biggest producer of bamboo after China and India.
Director General of International Industry Cooperation at the Ministry of Industry, Agus Tjahajana, said Indonesia was far behind China on innovation in bamboo industry. The data in the Ministry of Industry says China receives 12 billion USD every year from the export of bamboo handicrafts.