Langkat farmers plant agarwood for international market

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LANGKAT, NORTH SUMATRA - Farmers in Langkat district, North Sumatra, have turned to gaharu or agarwood planting to meet international market demand for the world's most expensive wood type.

"We are developing a gaharu tree plantation to meet international market demand," Langkat district gaharu farmers group spokesman Mahmuddin Sani has said.

Contacted by phone from Bahorok town on Tuesday, Mahmuddin said the farmers in Langkat began to passionately interested in agarwood plantation development because of a success made by Indonesian gaharu exporters to penetrate international markets in China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, European Union, and the United States.

Therefore he called on gaharu farmers in Langkat to utilize the increasingly promising agarwood overseas market opportunity by stepping up the quality of the commodity.

He said the farmers were also encouraged to actively cultivate gaharu plants in their agricultural areas because to meet the potential international market demand, Indonesia still still relies on the commodity in the natural forest.

According Mahmuddin Sani, Indonesia exported 4,000 tons of gaharu to China and 500 tons to other countries every year with the higher value of exports.

Meanwhile, Langkat Forestry and Plantation Office's Land Rehabilitation chief Jonner Pane seven species of gaharu plant namely Aquilaria Malacesis, Aqurolaria Filaria, Aqularia Microcarga, Actoxylon Simpetthaluum, Aquilaria Aqalocha, Aquilaria Hirta, and Aquilaria Becariana were found in Bahorok, Sei Bingei, Salapian, and Wampu sub-distircts.

Jonner said gaharu was used for raw material of various medicine to combat asthma, malaria, cancer, diarrhea, lever, and other diseases.

source : waspada.co.id

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