"This (ministerial regulation) means that several semi-finished mining goods can no longer be exported so it may disrupt the government-set target of exports for this year," Kadin Deputy Chairman for Trade, Distribution and Logistics Natsir Mansyur said in a press statement on Sunday.
The ministerial regulation No. 7/2012 is designed to increase the added value of the country`s minerals through processing and purification activities.
Article 21 of the ministerial regulation stipulates that the holders of mining permits (IUP) and smallholder mining permits (IPR) issued before the regulation took effect are banned from exporting mineral ore or raw material three months after the regulation came into force.
"The potential losses of Indonesia`s exports may reach 20 percent of the government-set target of US$46 billion (for this year)," he said.
He said the chamber highly regretted the ministerial regulation and called for coordination among the trade ministry, the energy and mineral resources ministry and the finance ministry to resolve the issue.
He said the coordination was needed to maintain the country`s export performance. Indonesia`s exports last year reached US$203.62 billion.
In principle, the chamber supported the government`s efforts to increase the added value of minerals through processing and purification activities. As such, the development of downstream mineral and coal industries could be realized soon, he said.
(T.M040/S012/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
