Mamuju, W Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Indonesia's rattan product exports since early this year contributed US$27 million to the country's foreign exchange coffers compared to US$32 million throughout last year, Trade Minister Gita Irawan Wirjawan said.

With the higher export value of rattan products in the past couple of months, the rattan industry must be developed in rattan-producing regions to better contribute to the national economy, he said on the sidelines of his visit in the West Sulawesi provincial capital of Mamuju on Tuesday.

He said the higher export value of rattan products was the results of the government's, businessmen's, and other real sector's hard work that must be maintained in the years to come.

As a rattan-producing region, Mamuju itself contributed nearly 70 percent of the overall rattan production in Sulawesi so that the rattan industry in the region must be developed in such way that it would contribute to the national and regional economies, he said.

"The development of rattan industry in Mamuju as a rattan-producing region must be realized so that the national and regional economies will advance," he said.

He added however that the development of rattan industry must pay attention to quality and environmental conservation.

Gita Irawan Wirjawan, along with Industry Minister Mohamad S Hidayat and Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan was visiting Mamuju as part of effort to encourage the development of rattan industry.

While in Mamuju, they met with West Sulawesi Governor Anwar Adnan Saleh. (S012)