"If the economy is expected to grow, attention must be given to exports and investment," Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said in Serpong, South Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday.
He said investment in the agriculture sector increased more than 100 percent compared to that five years ago. The value of exports rose 24 percent in 2017 compared with that in 2016.
The minister was attending a workshop and a national gathering of Indonesian village heads in Serpong. He also met with Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Sinyo Harry Sarundayang.
The meeting was held in the framework of expanding the market of agricultural products, particularly to the Philippines.
The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and the Indonesian Export Financing Institution (LPEI) have recently established cooperation in supporting national export and investment.
The cooperation was marked by the signing of a memorandum of understanding by the Head of BKPM Thomas Trikasih Lembong and Executive Director of LPEI Sinthya Roesly, in Jakarta, Monday (Oct 29).
Head of BKPM, Thomas Trikasih Lembong, said that increased investment and exports are an important agenda that the Government is doing to improve the Indonesian economy.
Cooperation between BKPM and LPEI is needed in an effort to support business climate and conducive investment, national economy and resource capacity.
"In the era of global economic conditions, collaborative efforts with funding institutions both nationally and internationally should be pursued," he said.
BKPM noted that realization of investment in the first half of 2018 reached Rp361.6 trillion, up 7.4 percent compared to the same period last year which was Rp336.7 trillion.
Cumulatively, the realization of foreign investment (PMA) in the first quarter of 2018 fell 1.1 percent from Rp206.9 trillion in the first half of 2017 to Rp204.6 trillion.
Meanwhile, realization of domestic investment rose 21 percent from Rp129.8 trillion to Rp157 trillion.
LPEI Executive Director Sinthya Roesly said the company will continue to improve its quality in facilitating export activities, one of which is institutional cooperation, both domestically and abroad.
"Cooperation with BKPM will greatly assist LPEI in implementing its mandate, which will encourage export increase. Availability of information on international trading conditions, investment, and inter-agency coordination will be beneficial for exporters to improve their competitiveness and access to prospective markets," she said.
Reporting by Muhammad Razi Rahman
Editing by Andi Abdussalam
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
