Proceedings of THE RATTAN SEMINAR 2-4 October 1984 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Edited by K.M. WONG and N. MANOKARAN A seminar covering developments in rattan science, technology and utilisation, organised by the Rattan Information Centre, Forest Research Institute, Kepong, Malaysia, and jointly sponsored by the International Development Research Centre, the Forest Research Institute at Kepong and the FAO/UNDP Asia-Pacific Forest Industries Development Group The Rattan Information Centre, Forest Research Institute, Kepong, Malaysia 1985 FOREWORD 7 The Seminar Organising Committee 8 Acknowledgements 8 Opening Address to the Seminar by the Hon’ble the Deputy Minister of Primary Industries, Malaysia 9 PROPAGATION AND NURSERY PRACTICES Seed and vegetative propagation of rattans AZIAH MOHAMAD YUSOFF & N. MANOKARAN 13 Tissue culture of some rattan species MERCEDES UMALI-GARCIA 23 Nursery techniques for Calamus manan and C. caesius at the Forest Research Institute nursery, Kepong, Malaysia DARUS HAJI AHMAD & AMINAH HAMZAH 33 A preliminary study of the germination and some ecological aspects of Calamus peregrinus in Thailand ISARA VONGKALUANG 41 ECOLOGY, SILVICULTURE AND CONSERVATION Performances of some rattan species in growth trials in Peninsular Malaysia AMINUDDIN MOHAMAD 49 Cultivation trials of rattans in the Philippines DOMINGO A. MADULID 57 A preliminary report on the growth forms of Calamus caesius and C. trachycoleus in SAFODA’s Kinabatangan rattan plantation SHIM PHYAU SOON & MUHAMMAD A. MOMEN 63 Preliminary observations on the effect of different canopy and soil moisture conditions on the growth of Cafamus manan (Manau) P.H.J. NAINGGOLAN 73 The present status of rattan palms in India * an overview SHYAMAL K. BASU 77 Biological and ecological considerations pertinent to the silviculture of rattans N. MANOKARAN 95 Prospects for lesser known canes JOHN DRANSFIELD 107 PROPERTIES, PESTS, DISEASES AND PRESERVATION Anatomy , strength properties and the utilization of some Indonesian rattan species HARYANTO YUDODIBROTO 117 Fibre wall architecture in the stem of Rotan manau N. PARAMESWARAN & W. LIESE 123 Pests and diseases of rattans and rattan products in Peninsular Malaysia NORANI AHMAD. Y.P. THO & L.T. HONG 131 Preservation problems of rattan in Indonesia (with emphasis on powder post beetle infestation) ACHMAD SULTHONI 137 PROCESSING, UTILIZATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Processing techniques applied by small-scale rattan manufacturing companies in Indonesia HARYANTO YUDODIBROTO 145 Rattan processing and utilization in Peninsular Malaysia K.T. CHOO & K. DALJEET-SINGH 155 Techniques for the control of cane quality in small-scale rattan industries in the Philippines ANTONIO A. SALITA, JR. 163 Proposed Philippine grading rules for unsplit rattan and its derivatives ARSENIO L. TONGACAN 169 Rattan furniture design for small-scale industries in Thailand NUANWAN K. SIPILA 179 Problems and prospects of rattan handicrafts RAJA FUZIAH BINTE RAJA TUN UDA 185 EXTENSION AND INFORMATION DISSEMINATION Small- and medium-sized industries in the Asia-Pacific region: their information needs and Technonet Asia’s response LEON V. CHICO 195 The Rattan Information Centre K. DALJEET-SINGH & K.T. CHOO 203 COUNTRY REPORTS CHINA 209 INDIA 213 INDONESIA 217 MALAYSIA 221 PHILIPPINES 231 THAILAND 241 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SEMINAR 247 FOREWORD Just two years since its formation in May 1982, the Rattan Information Centre (or RIC) has been able to convene this Seminar in order to facilitate the colla- tion of current developments in rattan technology and utilisation, and to pro- vide a forum for institutions and individuals engaged in rattan research and the rattan-based industries. I am happy to note that there has been an active response from scientists and technologists alike in the various fields of biology, silviculture, processing, utilisation and information, especially because this is the first seminar to be organised to discuss rattan, which is an industrial raw material and a commodity of great importance to many countries in the Asian tropics. The relevance of such a gathering is that it will prove to be immensely valuable in establishing working contacts among all those involved with rattans, and in updating our understanding of the state of the art. All progress in any industry must be based on a firm understanding of the characteristics and behaviour of the raw material and how its resource base can be conserved and managed. It is the hope of all of us that the interactions and findings of this Seminar will be transmitted, individually as well as through the various relevant organisations, to those people who are directly involved with canes, be it in rural livelihood or as part of more organised industries. On behalf of the Rattan Information Centre and the Forest Research Institute, Kepong, I wish to express my thanks to the Deputy Minister of Primary In- dustries of Malaysia for having consented to declare open the Seminar, to the International Development Research Centre for its support, and to all par- ticipants and observers alike. SALLEH MOHD. NOR Organising Chairman of the Seminar and Director, Forest Research Institute, Kepong, Malaysia. 7 ORGANISING COMMITTEE Chairman Salleh Mohd. Nor Vice Chairman K. Daljeet-Singh Secretary K.M. Wong Members Abdul Rashid bin Haji Abdul Malek Aminuddin Mohamad Ani Sulaiman K.T. Choo Habibah binte Mohamad L.T. Hong N. Manokaran Sim Heok Choh Wan Rahmah binte Wan Abdul Raof Acknowledgements The International Development Research Centre, Canada, and the FAO/UNDP Asia- Pacific Forest Industries Development Group provided sponsorship for the seminar and financial assistance toward the publication of the proceedings. We thank Marilyn Camp- bell and Robert Drysdale from IDRC for their interest and assistance with various aspects of editing and publication. Finally, the preparation of these proceedings has been greatly facilitated by Azmi binte Haji Othman, Ooi Bee Gek, Lucy Rajoo and Tommy Lim, who were responsible for much of the typing, word composing and conference preprints, and by Sulaiman bin Mohd. Zain, who helped in numerous other matters. Opening Address BY THE HON’BLE MR. MEGAT JUNID BIN MEGAT AYOB, DEPUTY MINISTER OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, MALAYSIA I would like, first of all, to congratulate and thank the Forest Research Institute (FRI) at Kepong, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the FAO/UNDP Asia-Pacific Forest Industries Development Group for jointly organising this seminar on rattan. This seminar is significant not only because it is the first time that such a seminar is being held in this country but also because it is convened at a time when the Malaysian government is placing emphasis on the development of the rattan industry as part of our effort to generate and utilise more fully our resources, to diversify the export of our forest products as well as to take advantage of the good export market for rattan products, particularly rattan furniture. The world trade in raw rattan is quite substantial, amounting to well over M$115 million. If we take into account trade in manufactured rattan products, the value is apparently very much higher, at about M%2.7 billion. Such a large volume in rattan trade indicates that there is great demand for rattan and rat- tan products in the world. However, the Malaysian rattan industry is rather small, such that in 1983, rattan and rattan products contributed only about M$5.5 million to the export earnings of the country. In terms of cane furniture exports, the value is even smaller, estimated to be about MS1 .5 million in 1983. Compared to the value of exports from Singapore and Hong Kong, which amounted to about M$23 million and M$53 million respectively, in spite of not having any local raw material supplies of their own, it is imperative that Malay- sian cane manufacturers organise themselves to be better able to take advan- tage of the big export market, especially with the advantage of available local raw material supply. The rattan manufacturing industry in this country is characterised by small- scale operations. With few exceptions, the manufacturers are family concerns employing between 4 to 6 persons, making furniture in small workshops for the local market. The five large-scale manufacturing firms that cater mainly for the export market exported about M$1.5 million worth of cane furniture in 1983. It is obvious that turning raw rattan into various manufactured items would generate increased incomes and higher revenue earnings as well as bring about more employment opportunities. Local rattan manufacturers should take advantage of this by exporting further processed rattan in the world market where the demand is great. Of course, to go into the world market, products would have to meet stringent quality requirements and design standards. If local manufacturers intend to go for the export market, they would have to upgrade their manufacturing facilities and capabilities so that their operations are suffi- ciently large and efficient for mass production. The government, on its part, is giving incentives and whatever assistance as may be required for the healthy development of the rattan industry. The government is also giving greater attention to rattan as a renewable resource. At the same time there is a need to increase rattan production to meet local as well as export demands. In so far as renewal of resource is concerned, 9 the various state governments have taken steps to plant rattan. Up to the end of 1983, states in Peninsular Malaysia have planted 369 ha, Sabah 2,182 ha and Sarawak about 4.9 ha, giving a total of 2,556 ha for the country as a whole. At the Federal level, the Government is giving emphasis to the growing of rat- tan in plantations. The Forest Research Institute has been asked to make a study of the financial viability of growing rattan on a large scale. Preliminary results of the study indicate that the planting of Manau (Culamus manan) and Sega (Calamus caesius) would yield substantial financial returns at the end of 10 and 13 years respectively.