The level of exports of furniture from Jepara, central Java, continues to decline.

Since 2004, when exports of furniture from Jepara were at a level of 141 million dollars, a decline of 10% has occured in each successive year to the point where in 2006 it is estimated their value will reach only 112 million dollars, according to an industry official in Jepara.

Salem Bayong, the head of the industry and investment association in Jepara, attributes this decline to the effects of competition from Vietnam and China.

Meanwhile Anis Hartanto, the head of the Indonesian Furniture Association, agrees with this assessment but also adds that internal factors, such as a decline in productivity due to increase in materials costs, can be blamed for the problem.

The decline which has most been felt by us has been since the rise in fuel prices and raw materials.

The Association has attempted to arrest the decline in exports by participating more actively in world furniture fairs such as the International Furniture Fair of Singapore. Alternative sources of wood have also been made recourse to, such as from Kalimantan and South East Sulawesi. The story of Jepara export levels mirrors that of Indonesian furniture (30-01-2006) sales nationwide.