"Three countries buying cement produced in North Sulawesi are Taiwan, the Philippines, and Malaysia," Head of the North Sulawesi Industry and Trade Office Edwin Kindangen stated here on Saturday.
The province earned US$2.18 million from cement exports to the three countries in May this year, Kindangen noted.
It earned US$1.10 million from exporting 32,496 tons of cement to Malaysia.
The province earned US$763,750 from 23,500 tons of cement exported to Taiwan. As many as 7,050 tons of cement, valued at US$317,300, were exported to the Philippines, which shares a marine border line with North Sulawesi.
Cement is a relatively new export product from North Sulawesi, so it is crucial to find new markets.
"We will strive to find new markets for cement from North Sulawesi," he affirmed.
The quality and quantity of cement are important parameters for buyers.
"Do not ignore the quality, as the buyers' trust in us will be lost," he cautioned.
"Our government will support and help exporters in North Sulawesi, both in terms of handling business correspondence and technical guidance," he asserted.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's domestic cement sales were recorded at 62.7 million tons in 2020.
The Indonesian Cement Association (ASI) reports the sales represent a fall by 10.4 percent from the 2019 sales of 70 million tons, the lowest growth in a decade.
The highest domestic cement sales in 2020 were clocked at 6.2 million tons in October, while the lowest sales were recorded in May at 3.2 million tons.
Cement sales are expected to rise in 2021 on the back of infrastructure projects, primarily due to increased infrastructure spending in the State Budget (APBN) 2021. Related news: Semen Indonesia optimistic of being a strong regional market player
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Translator: Nancy L Tigauw, Fardah
Editor: Suharto
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