Local people to harvest the sago – Jubi
Jakarta, Jubi – Chinese investors have expressed interest to invest in the sago processing industry in Papua, the Investment Coordinating Agency (BKPM) said.
Initial investment would be worth of 400 million renminbi or equivalent with Rp 850 billion, said BKPM chief Franky Sibarani in the press conference received in Jakarta on last week.
Sibarani said interest in the sago processing industry contained a strategic value because such industry is categorized as labor-intensive and is expected to absorb about 1.500 workers in Papua.
“The interest expressed by the Chinese investors is positive not only in term of increasing investment in Indonesia, but also becoming an important role in Papua development,” he said.
He further said the investment value planned to cover the sago (Sago armylum) processing industry with annual capacity of 60,000 tones, wood processing manufacture of 100,000 meters cubic and biomass electricity power plant of 6 Megawatt capacities.
“The electricity power plant will use 45 tones of boiler. It is applied as internal source,” he said. He added, about 80 percent of the production capacity is designed for export. “This export-oriented would add the strategic value of the project for Indonesia,” he added.
He guaranteed BKPM to oversee the investment interest that has been delivered. He said the escort is a follow up of BKPM marketing activities in China.
BKPM Investment Planning Deputy Tamba Hutapea, who’s Deputy in Charge for the People’s Republic of China, on Wednesday (17/3/2016) said business delegation has arrived in Jayapura and met with BKMP Jayapura and will depart to Sarmi for direct observation on sago and fisheries potentials.
Tamba considered BKPM would facilitate this interest, therefore it would become a commitment on the investment and expected to be realized immediately.
“This year we will focus to visit 10 provinces in China to attract the Chinese investors to Indonesia,” he said.
BKPM recorded the committed value of investment from China during the period of January to February 2016 has reached USD 3.2 billion. China is in the third rank of the top listed country to commit on investment in Indonesia. Its rank is under the United States of America and Singapore. (*/rom)
