By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 31: Sarawak is eyeing higher-value downstream timber products as wood pellet exports soar from RM400,000 in 2021 to RM179 million in 2025.
According to a report by TVS, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said the sharp increase offered room for further growth in the timber industry.
He said Sarawak should focus on value-added products to maximise its forest resources and generate higher economic returns.
“In 2021, our export value was only RM0.4 million. In 2025, the export value of our pellets increased to RM179 million.
“This shows that the market for such products is very extensive, and we have the potential to further develop and strengthen the timber industry by focusing on value-added products,” he said in his speech at the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) Dinner held at a hotel in Kuching last night (Oct 30).
Awang Tengah said the timber industry also faced various challenges, including global market uncertainties, rising operating costs and increasing demands for compliance with environmental regulations.
He urged industry players to adapt to these changing conditions by improving productivity, adopting new technologies and producing downstream products with higher commercial value.
He said the initiatives were in line with Sarawak’s push for a greener economy and renewable energy under the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).
He added that Sarawak should further explore bioenergy and waste-to-energy opportunities to boost the timber industry’s economic contribution. — DayakDaily
