Industry Minister Saleh Husin said the number of cacao processing companies rose to 19 from 15 units in the same period.
The government has encouraged development of cacao processing industry by restricting exports of beans since 2010, the minister said when visiting cacao processing company PT Mars Symbioscience Indonesia here on Monday.
He said the capacity has been expanded with a total investment of US$350 million.
He said under the Cacao National Movement Program the government hopes top increase the productivity of the countrys cacao plantation from 0.5 ton to 2 tons per hectare.
He said the government will facilitate investment in cacao processing industry by helping provide infrastructure, one stop service, fiscal facility and exemption of import duty on factory machines.
Indonesia is the worlds third largest producer of cacao beans after the Ivory Coast and Ghana in Africa, and Sulawesi is the largest cacao producing region in the country.
(Uu.H-ASG/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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