Non-timber forest products has huge potential
KUCHING: Non-timber forest products ( NTFP) in the state are an important source of income of people living near forests and hold huge potential for export.
More efforts should be undertaken to develop, promote and commercialise Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) at home and abroad.
This was pointed out by Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan at the launch of the NTFP Heart of Borneo ( HoB) carnival at Kuching Waterfront yesterday.
He said a large number of people in the rural areas sell various jungle produce such as vegetables harvested from the jungles, fish, honey, meat, traditional medicines
In fact China is the major exporter of bamboo products in the world today. This is made possible through the cultivation of bamboo on commercial scale run by companies or communities.
and handicraft in the local markets and towns.
In view of the increasing interested and demand for NTFP, he encouraged the NTFP entrepreneurs in the state venture into cottage industry to produce handicrafts made of rattan, bamboo and other raw materials from the jungle.
Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment
Awang Tengah, who is also Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development, Trade and Investment, said from his official trip to China he found out that the bamboo industry supported the livelihood of many rural people.
Bamboo, he said, was used in many ways such as in food, building materials, ornamental plants, handicraft, clothes and others.
“In fact China is the major exporter of bamboo products in the world today.
“This is made possible through the cultivation of bamboo on commercial scale run by companies or communities,” he said.
He added that NTFP had attracted the interest and attention of the international community.
Awang Tengah commended Sarawak Forest Department for holding the inaugural NTFP carnival to promote and introduce NTFP to local and international buyers.
He also urged other government agencies and non- governmental organisations ( NGOs) to work together in the development, promotion and the marketing of NTFP.
He said the state government had long been aware of the importance of NTFP to the local communities especially those living close to the jungles.
“As such, our government has gazetted communal forests and totally protected area in order to sustain the source of NTFP.
“Hence, the sustainable forest management is given top priority in the state development agenda so that the forest resource is managed sustainably to ensure sufficient supply of timber and NTFP,” he said.
Also present was Assistant Minister for Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister for Resource Planning Datuk Naroden Majais, Resource Planning and Environment permanent secretary Datuk Sudarsono Osman and state Forest Department director Sapuan Ahmad.