IDNAround – The government is encouraging investment in the food and beverage industry by applying the highest standards in waste management and water conservation, reducing electricity and water consumption, and maximizing the effectiveness of wastewater purification.
The statement was delivered virtually by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto at the opening of Cargill’s corn wet mill plant in Pandaan sub-district, Pasuruan district, East Java province, on Thursday.
“Given the importance of the food and beverage industry sector to the national economy, I appreciate Cargill’s management, which has built a corn wet mill plant in Pasuruan, East Java, worth US$100 million or Rp1.3 trillion,” Hartarto said.
The investment is expected to enrich the competitiveness of the food and beverage industry and increase the processing of starch and sweeteners in the country, he added.
Starch products and sweeteners made from corn have become superior export products, enjoying demand in more than 40 countries, including Japan, Australia, the Philippines, India, and Egypt, with their export value reaching more than US$150 million per year, Hartarto noted.
Cargill Development
The development of the corn wet milling plant by Cargill has involved the adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 principles. Automatic processes and robotics systems have also been optimized, especially in the production and packaging processes at the plant.
“The government continues to guarantee the availability of raw materials from the domestic and global markets to support this kind of investment to grow and compete in the global market,” the minister said.
Hartarto also lauded Cargill for continuing its investment despite facing difficult challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The minister said he hopes that the factory would continue to encourage the food and beverage industry to meet the needs of the Indonesian people.
Meanwhile, deputy for food and agribusiness coordination, Musdhalifah Machmud, who attended the inauguration event in person, emphasized that a well-established partnership between the government and the private sector is a determinant of the growth of the industry.
For this reason, the government appreciates Cargill for always maintaining good communication by providing the latest information on developments related to global food commodities.
“I also convey that the central government would like to thank the regional government. The success of this development cannot be separated from the great support from the regional government,” Machmud added.
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