After seeing the downstreaming in the mining sector, especially nickel, which turned out to be successful, the President asked us to calculate and draw up steps for gas downstreamingJakarta (ANTARA) -
Investment Minister and Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia on Thursday outlined the government's plan to expand the downstreaming industry in a number of sectors, particularly gas and food.
The expansion will be in line with instructions issued by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during a limited cabinet meeting, where the President called for devising an immediate master plan for the downstreaming of natural resources, particularly gas and food.
"After seeing the downstreaming in the mining sector, especially nickel, which turned out to be successful, the President asked us to calculate and draw up steps for gas downstreaming," Lahadalia informed at a press conference on “Investment Continues to Grow to Support Economic Growth” here on Thursday.
He said that his ministry will support the construction of a fertilizer factory and a facility for producing blue ammonia from natural gas in West Papua.
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"We will also build blue ammonia (production facilities) with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. We will maximize it to build a fertilizer factory in West Papua because most of the gas comes from Papua. So, the blue ammonia is in Bintuni, while the fertilizer factory will be in Fakfak," Lahadalia informed.
He said that he is also supporting the construction of a methanol plant in Bojonegoro, East Java. Currently, 80 percent of Indonesia's methanol supply still comes from imports.
He also confirmed that there are investors who have invested in the project. "There are investors there, from America, not from Asia," he said.
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When it comes to downstreaming in the food sector, Indonesia has great potential to take advantage of the current momentum in the midst of the food crisis arising from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the minister added.
"We are still pushing to start the downstreaming whether from fisheries or general food. We are already heading there because the investment is not big, but the market is big," he said.
According to Lahadalia, Indonesia has a great opportunity to become the center of world food security because of its abundant natural potential and human resources.
"We have built a planning ecosystem in the food sector because food is the most important instrument for creating new jobs, and creating new economic growth areas because it does not require too much investment but involves many jobs in villages. This is our opportunity," he said.
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Translator: Ade Irma J, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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