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The Trade Ministry has issued a regulations banning the
export of sand, soil and topsoil in order to protect the environment
from degradation and maintain the nation's current maritime boundaries.
The bans will come into effect on Feb. 6, and exporters will be given
time to make the necessary changes prior to the deadlines. They will
also be permitted to fulfill existing contracts.
"These regulations are being issued in the hope of eradicating sand and
soil mining on islands at the peripheries of the country so as to
protect the environment and maintain our present borders," Trade
Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Tuesday.
Mari said the demand for sand and soil was increasing, and had spurred
illegal excavation in many areas.
She also said that the excavation of sand and soil, mostly for export,
threatened to push back the nation's maritime boundaries due to the
disappearance of small islands, while the profits earned from the
exports were far smaller than the losses suffered by the country's
environment.
According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), exports of Indonesian
sand were worth US$9.5 million in 2005, with Singapore and China being
the main importers, with the respective value of these imports being $6
million and $2.4 million.
In the period from January until May 2006, exports jumped to $11.11
million, with China being the biggest importer on $8 million and
Singapore coming second on $2.93 million.
Under the regulations, the government has also banned the export of
kaolin, granite, marble and pumice.
"Other commodities besides these four may be exported after a thorough
verification processes by a team of surveyors," Mari explained.
The verification results would then be submitted as attachments to the
customs documentation.
Meanwhile, soil exports in 2005 were worth $14.41 million, with
Thailand and Japan being the two biggest importers on $2.48 million and
2.42 million respectively, followed by Taiwan on $1.73 million and
Bangladesh on $1.71 million.
Between January and May last year, soil exports reached $5.65 million,
with Thailand being the biggest importer on $1.498 million, followed by
Bangladesh on $923.762.
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