Govt To Provide Rp118 Billion For Manuju Rattan Industries

Mamuju, W Sulawesi, Nov 25 (ANTARA) - The central government through the ministry of industry will provide Rp118 billion in aid for the development of rattan industries in West Sulawesi province, a regional government official said. West Sulawesi Regional Government Secretary Ismail Zainuddin said here over the weekend that the development of rattan industries which would receive funds from the central government was initiated by West Sulawesi Governor Anwar Adnan Saleh. "The value of the rattan industrial development is relatively big and we hope that the construction of the rattan factories will help improve West Sulawesi`s economy," the regional secretary said. The funds amounting to Rp118 billion will be provided through the 2013 state budget. He said that the land for the construction of the rattan industries had been made available. It was located in the Belang-Belang Industrial Center, about 45 km from Mamuju, capital of West Sulawesi province. Therefore, he said, the people of West Sulawesi should support the program so that this province would get rid of its lagging behind other provinces in the country. In the meantime, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry`s office for West Sulawesi said it was prepared to assist the province in exporting its rattan products to Europe. "Kadin supports the plans of three ministers to expand the rattan industries in West Sulawesi province in 2013," Kadin Chief for West Sulawesi Harry Warga Negara said on Saturday. Harry, who is secretary general of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi), said three ministers who crated plans to expand the rattan industry were Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan and Industry Minister MS Hidayat. The three ministers have visited the province in preparing their plans to develop the rattan industries in West Sulawesi province and announced their plans last February to expand the industries. "Kadin hopes that the industries would be built soon and would be ready to market their rattan products to a number of European countries and to Asian nations in an effort to develop West Sulawesi`s economy," the Kadin branch chief said. Deputy Chairman of the Kadin branch office Ilham Zainuddin said besides supporting the marketing of rattan products, Kadin would also support the acceleration of building rattan factories. Kadin will support development of the factories through the services of construction companies under its auspices. He hopes it would increase employment, as well. Ilham, who is also chairman of the National Contractors Association (Askonas) for West Sulawesi branch, said that West Sulawesi had a large rattan potential centered in five districts, including Mamuju, with an acreage of about 341 thousand hectares, North Mamuju with 92 hectares, Mamasa with 65 thousand hectares, Polman with 54 thousand hectares and Majene with 44 thousand hectares. The Kadin deputy chairman hoped that the construction of the rattan industries would serve as the prime generators of West Sulawesi economic development. West Sulawesi`s economic growth is expected to reach 12.9 percent in 2012.