KUCHING: Sarawak’s export value of timber products saw an increase of 4 per cent at RM3.9 billion last year compared to RM3.7 billion in 2020.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the increase was an indication that the economy was indeed recovering gradually, and showed prospects of increased demands for commodities such as timber products.
“I hope that the trend will continue so that we can increase our export value of timber products. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry players are unable to do business as usual.
“This is why we are encouraging them to focus on high value-added products such as furniture. As such, they have to do retooling and go for automation to fully benefit as well as utilise our resources,” he said.
Awang Tengah was officiating at the launch of the Integrity and Innovation Day and Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) 2022 assembly at the STIDC Seminar Hall, Wisma Sumber Alam here on Wednesday (Feb 9).
He said efforts were being stepped up by STIDC to further empower the timber industry as a high value-added industry to achieve the projected export value of RM8 billion by 2030, adding that plywood was still the main export commodity, making up almost 55 per cent or RM2.15 billion of Sarawak’s total export value of timber products.
At the same time, he assured that continuous enforcement efforts were undertaken to curb the issue of illegal logging.
“Unfortunately, there is still illegal logging but it is under control. We will continue to conduct and strengthen enforcement efforts as part of our ongoing agenda.
“We hope that the people will also do their part by providing tip-offs so that immediate action can be taken,” he said.
