NABAWAN: .He said the upstream and downstream timber processing industry had bean a stand-alone sector all this while, meaning that the upstream product could not fully match the downstream demand. “With the EVC concept, the output lines will be integrated and raise productivity on a bigger scale,” he said in his speech during a working visit to Jawala Plantation Industries Sdn Bhd in Sapulut, here, Monday.
“Between six and eight million cubic metres of timber supply are expected to be produced through the harvesting of 40,000 hectares of forest plantations each year.“This will ensure sufficient and sustainable supply of the raw material for the timber industry with the potential of contributing about RM11.5 billion to Sabah’s Gross Domestic Product , creating 40,000 job opportunities and further expanding the timber processing industry,” he added.