RI, China to sign cooperation agreement on aquatic products

Indonesia and China are scheduled to sign a fishery cooperation agreement next week in a move to reduce the rejection of each other's aquatic imports, a spokesman said.

A team of officials from the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is expected to arrive at the Chinese capital next week to meet with officials of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) for the purpose, First Secretary for Economic Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing Iwan Freddy Hari Susanto said on Sunday.

The two nations have long tried to sign the cooperation agreement but to no avail because of technical matters.

"This time the text of the cooperation agreement has been completed and ready to be signed. We hope the authorized parties from the two countries will sign it soon," Freddy said.

He said relevant officials of the two countries have already exchanged visits.

Citing an example, he said AQSIQ officials visited Indonesia some time ago to see if the country has complied with the Chinese-set standards in processing aquatic products.

The cooperation agreement does not mean that all types of aquatic products from Indonesia can enter the Chinese market, he said.

"Likewise not all types of aquatic products from China can enter the Indonesian market. After all, the positive step will at least encourage and enable the two countries to accept each other's aquatic export products," he said.

On February 4, 2008, China lifted its temporary ban on the import of aquatic products from Indonesia after AQSIS assured that Indonesia complied with the standards in processing its aquatic products.

China imposed a temporary ban on the import of aquatic products from Indonesia after AQSIQ on August 3, 2007 found that a number of Indonesian aquatic products fell short of standards.

source: Antara

Germany and Indonesia discuss potential geothermal energy sources

To overcome the current electricity crisis in Indonesia, EKONID (German-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and DENA (German Energy Agency) held a geothermal energy symposium in Jakarta Tuesday. In dealing with renewable geothermal energy sources, the government has issued seven regulations," Luluk Soemarso said on behalf of Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro.

Government policies are securing sustainable energy supply to support national interests. Meanwhile the mission is aimed at securing energy supplies, improving added value of energy sources, managing energy ethically sustainably and preserving the environment, providing affordable energy for the poor, and developing national capabilities, he said. Luluk added that the National Energy Policy is aimed at improving the role of the energy business, achieving an electrification ratio of 90% by 2020, realizing energy infrastructure facilities, increasing strategic partnerships, decreasing energy intensity by 1% per year, and increasing local contents.

Indonesia is a potential country that could provide 40 percent of the world`s electricity needs, 27.6 Gigawatts, Dr. Surya Darma, President of the Indonesian Geothermal Association said here. However, only 1,025 GW geothermal power plants are built in Indonesia with installed capacities of 9500 MW in the 2004 - 2025 period, he said.. He said Indonesia has developed 18 geothermal sites, 15 are operated by Pertamina, one by a private company, another one by a cooperative organization, and still another one by state power company PT PLN, to generate more than 2000 MW in the next four years.

source: Antara

Kuwait invests US$300 million in Mamuju, West Sulawesi

A Kuwaiti company, Gulf Investment House (GIH), has invested around US$300 million in Mamuju district, Mamuju, West Sulawesi, through capital participation in the Mamuju regional company (Perusda Mamuju).

The memorandum of understanding on the investment was signed by Perusda Mamuju`s president director Benyamin S and GIH`s president director Raseed Al-Badab here on Tuesday, in the presence of Mamuju district head Suhardi Duka and the chairman of the district`s legislative assembly, Thamrin Endeng.

Raseed Al-Badab said on the occasion that his company was attracted to invest in Mamuju because of the region`s natural as well as human resource pontentials that could be exploited to support investment activities.

He said his company had had investments almost across the world such as Europe and America but because it was difficult to develop them the company decided to move them to Asia and to Indonesia in particular.

"We are attracted to invest in Indonesia and in Mamuju in particular because most of the country`s population are Moslem and therefore making it easier for the company to conduct shariah-based investment," he said.

He said he hoped the investment that his company had put in Mamuju would be successful so that it could contribute positively to the development of the company as well as the people in the region.

Suhardi Duka meanwhile said that the US$300 million investment was an initial GIH capital participation as a contractor for Perusda Mamuju before it would later invest in West Sulawesi in line with the existing law.

He said GIH would invest in the region for 30 years to process natural resources in Mamuju such as oil and gas, gold, coal, nickel, iron ore and potentials in the forestry as well as plantation sector.

In view of that he said he asked Perusda Mamuju as a GIH partner to cooperate professionally and transparently with the Middle Eastern company.

"We hope that the investment of GIH could empower the local people and increase local income for raising the living standard of the people," he said.

source: Antara

Indonesia prakarsai World Ocean Conference 2009

Indonesia akan memprakarsai World Ocean Conference (WOC) 2009 yang digelar pada 11-15 Mei 2009 di Manado, Sulawesi Utara, dan mendeklarasikan Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD). Saat jumpa pers dengan media di Hotel Borobudur siang ini, Sekretaris Menteri Koordinator Kesejahteraan Rakyat Indroyono Susilo mengatakan, even ini merupakan pertama kalinya Indonesia memiliki inisiatif untuk mengadakan konferensi internasional.

"Tema konferensi internasional ini 'Ocean and Climate Change' yang ingin mengangkat keberadaan laut dalam peran dan fungi strategisnya terhadap perubahan iklim global," ujar Indroyono.

Acara tersebut akan dihadiri sekitar 1.000 peserta dari 111 negara yang memiliki laut, terdiri dari negara maju dan negara berkembang. Selain itu dikatakan Staf Ahli Menteri Bidang Kebijakan Publik Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan Gellwyn Jusuf, tujuan diadakan seminar ini untuk menggalang komitmen masyarakat dunia dalam memelihara fungsi laut sebagai upaya adaptasi dan mitigasi perubahan iklim.

Saat WOC 2009 berlangsung, dituturkan Gelwyn, akan dilakukan beberapa kegiatan, seperti Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI). Pertemuan ini dihadiri Indonesia, Filipina, Malaysia, Papua Niugini, Kepulauan Solomon, dan Timor Leste. "Indonesia sebagai negara kepulauan terbesar sudah seharusnya memprakarsai konferensi tentang laut. Negara-negara lain itu menunggu kita bereaksi dan pasti mereka mendukung," tuturnya.

Konferensi ini akan membahas peran laut dalam perubahan iklim global, keanekaragaman hayati laut dunia, industri dan jasa maritim, mitigasi bencana alam di laut, dan pengelolaan laut dan pesisir terpadu berdasar ekosistem. "Kami mengajak berbagai pihak untuk bekerja sama, selain pelaksana Deplu RI, Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan, LSM juga kami libatkan," tutur Gellwyn.

source: kompas.com | July 2008

Govt urged to ban foreign investment in rubber processing industry

The Union of Indonesian Rubber Companies (Gapkindo) is asking the government to ban foreign investment in the rubber processing industry in the country, a spokesman said.

"There is no reason to allow foreign investment in the rubber processing industry because the required technology is not difficult and Indonesia already masters it," Gapkindo chairman Daud Husni Bastari said here on Thursday.

The installed capacity of the rubber industry in the country has reached one million tons per year, while raw meterial available is about 2.4 million tons per year. In fact, the need is about 3.4 million tons per year.

According to him, the productivity of Indonesian land for rubber trees is only 1,000 kilogram per hectare annually, while India is able to produce 1,900 kilogram per hectare annually.

"Indonesia`s production should be raised to at least 1,500 kilogram per hectare per year. Therefore, production of seeds should also be increased," he said.

At present, he added, 85 percent of raw materials needed by the rubber industry was supplied by people`s plantations, the acreage of which was about 3.5 million hectare throughout the country.

Some countries were keen on investing the rubber industry with a mininum investment of Rp60 million. Among the interested countries were China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Gapkindo itself had no production target but its production was increasing by four to five percent per year, he said.

source: Antara | July 2008

Wapres: Indonesia swasembada daging 3 tahun lagi

Wakil Presiden Muhammad Jusuf Kalla menegaskan, dua atau tiga tahun mendatang, Indonesia tidak lagi mengimpor daging dari berbagai negara untuk konsumsi rakyat. Sebab, Indonesia segera menjadi negeri yang sudah berswasembada daging.

Hal itu diutarakan Wapres Kalla saat mencanangkan Kota Terpadu Mandiri Pawonsari, Kabupaten Boalemo, Provinsi Gorontalo, Sabtu (19/7) siang waktu setempat. Kalla didampingi Menteri Tenaga Kerja dan Transmigrasi Erman Soeparno, Gubernur Gorontalo Fadel Muhammad, Bupati Boalemo Iwan Bokings serta pejabat dan staf Wapres Kalla beserta rombongan terbatas.

"Dalam dua tiga tahun lagi, kita harus berswasembada daging, yang selama ini kita impor daging dari berbagai negara," tandas Kalla.

Menurut Kalla, Indoneseia mengimpor 400.000 ekor sapi di antaranya dari Australia dan mengimpor daging sapi yang setara dengan 200.000 ekor sapi dari negara lainnya seperti Selandia Baru. "Pada dasarnya kita kekurangan 600.000 ekor sapi. Untuk itu kita harus memproduksi bibit sapi yang lebih cepat sebanyak 1 juta ekor," ujar Kalla.

Kredit BRI dan Bukopin

Pada kesempatan itu, Wapres mengatakan, jika ditunda pembibitannya lagi selama empat sampai lima tahun, Indonesia akan impor lagi sampai 1 juta ekor sapi. "Untuk itulah dalam lima tahun ini, kita harus punya program pembibitan sapi ternak lebih baik lagi hingga sejuta ekor sapi, sehingga kita tidak perlu impor sapi lagi. Itu bahayanya bagi kita terhadap ketahanan daging kita jika kita tidak bekerja keras untuk mencegah impor sejuta sapi," jelas Kalla.

Terkait itu, Wapres sudah memanggil direksi Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) dan Bank Umum Koperasi Indonesia (Bukopin) untuk menyalurkan kredit usaha rakyat (KUR) tanpa jaminan langsung kepada peternak. "Nanti kita akan berikan insentifnya subsidi selisih bunga yang masih akan kita hitung besarannya," kata Kalla.

Gubernur Gorontalo Fadel Muhammad di tempat yang sama juga mengemukakan pihaknya diminta menyiapkan lahan perkebunan untuk pembibitan sapi di Provinsinya untuk mendukung langkah pemerintah melakukan swasembada daging sapi.

source: kompas.com | July 2008

Indonesia to launch palm-biodiesel in September

The world's biggest palm oil producer is aiming to make mandatory the use of a 2.5% blend of biodiesel by September this year, the chairman of the National Biodiesel Development Team said, Reuters reported.

The nation has been pushing for the use of biofuels derived from palm oil to cut the use of costly petroleum products and ensure the fledging biodiesel industry survives rising prices of the commodity.

The government is drafting two ministerial decrees which will make the use of the biodiesel blend mandatory for both the industrial and transport sectors, Alhilal Hamdi, said.

"We expect the decrees to be completed by September so that we can put the policy in place at the same month," Hamdi said.

"The biodiesel mandatory policy will guarantee a market for producers. It will help idle biodiesel plants resume operations."

State oil firm Pertamina, which has been selling biodiesel since 2006, cut the blend in its diesel fuel from an initial 5% to 2.5% and then 1% due to rising palm oil prices and the lack of a mandatory policy.

The combined capacity for biofuel using palm oil as a feed stock in Indonesia is two million kilolitres per year but it is running at 20% of its capacity, data from the biodiesel team shows.

But if the mandatory policy is introduced, biodiesel capacity will grow to five million kilolitres a year by 2010, Hamdi said.

Indonesia produced 17.18 million tons of crude palm oil in 2007 while domestic demand stood at 3.8 million tons, mostly for food.

source: BKPM | July 2008

Indonesia, world's largest producer of palm oil, to force manufacturers to use biofuel

Indonesia, the world's largest producer of palm oil, plans to force manufacturers to use biofuels for some of their energy needs to reduce dependence on imported oil amid soaring global prices.

The government also wants to cut spending on fuel subsidies, which were put in place decades ago to protect the country's poorest but now account for almost half the budget.

Efita Legowo, a member of the Energy Ministry's biofuel team, said a decree would be issued in October stipulating that factories use palm oil and other cleaner burning fuel for 2.5 percent of their total needs.

The new energy policy sets a target of making biofuels account for 5 percent of the energy mix by 2025. Some critics of a similar European Union plan say the push for the use of biofuels is a major factor in soaring food prices.

Together, Malaysia and Indonesia provide 87 percent of the world's palm oil. Nearly 15 million acres (about 6 million hectares) is covered by palm-oil plantations.

source: Jakarta Post | July 2008

U.S. firm mulls building geothermal power plant from Sidoarjo mudflow

A U.S.-based consortium Vlocity Holding Inc. said it plans to build a 2000-Megawatt (MW) geothermal power plant from the Sidoarjo mudflow. The Jakarta Post reported (07/08/2008).

Vlocity director Taswin Tarib said his consortium could invest US$5 billion in the project should the government agree with the plan.

"Our plan looked feasible as the Sidoarjo mudflow temperature could reach 40 to 60 Celsius degree daily," he said.

The electricity from the mudflow would be later sold to the State Electricity Firm (PLN) at 2-3 euro cents per kilowatt hour, Taswin said.

The power plant could also create some 2,500 jobs for Indonesians, he said, adding that the plan had been presented to Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Vice president special expert staff Alwi Hamu said the vice president had given a green signal to conduct an analysis of the power plant proposal.

source: BKPM | July 2008

Ekspor ikan tuna 2008 capai 70 ribu ton

Ekspor ikan tuna Indonesia selama periode Januari-Juli 2008 mencapai 70.000 ribu ton.

Ketua I Asosiasi Tuna Indonesia (Astuin) Eddy Juwono mengatakan jumlah tersebut tidak ada perubahan dibandingkan peride yang sama� tahun 2007. "Ekspor tuna kita ke beberapa negara stagnan karena kenaikan harga bahan bakar minyak dan pengaruh musim," katanya.

Eddy menyatakan ongkos BBM menyumbang 60 persen dari biaya yang dikeluarkan oleh pengusaha ikan tuna.

Menurut Eddy, tujuan utama ekspor tuna Indonesia masih ke Jepang kemudian Amerika Serikat (AS) dan Uni Eropa (UE). Dia menyebutkan kompetitor utama Indonesia dalam ekspor ikan tuna masih dari Taiwan. "Di kawasan Asia Tenggara, Indonesia tidak ada pesaingnya dalam ekspor ikan tuna," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, pengamat ekonomi Sri Adiningsih mengatakan pengusaha ikan tuna harus dapat memanfaatkan perjanjian kerja sama antara Indonesia dan Jepang. Sri menyatakan� dengan perjanjian tersebut maka ekspor tuna Indonesia ke negara tersebut akan� meningkat.

source: okezone.com | July 2008

Cadangan Minyak RI Tambah 35 Juta Barel

Hasil eksplorasi migas sepanjang 2007 menghasilkan temuan tambahan cadangan sebesar 35 juta barel minyak dan 40 TCF gas.

Demikian dipaparkan Deputi Perencanaan BP Migas Achmad Luthfi dalam
keterangan pers di kantor BP Migas, Patra Jasa, Jakarta, Selasa (8/7/2008).

"Temuan itu belum termasuk 45 juta barel di luar 35 juta barel tadi yang masih discovery. Jadi totalnya ada sekitar 80 juta barel tambahan cadangan," katanya.

Dari kegiatan eksplorasi di Indonesia sepanjang 2007, dilakukan pengeboran 73 sumur, yang terdiri dari 54 sumur taruhan (wild cat) dan 17 sumur deliniasi.

Dari 54 sumur taruhan tersebut, ada sekitar 35 sumur yang sudah put on production (PoP). PoP merupakan produksi yang langsung dilakukan begitu sumur dibor.

Tambahan cadangan tersebut berasal dari lapangan Mengopeh Selatan (Pearl Oil), RDU-A (Randegan Utara Pertamina), Kaju-1 Sumatera (Medco), Sihangat-1 (Chevron Sumatera). Kelima lapangan ini menambah cadangan minyak 35 juta barel.

Sementara tambahan 40 juta barel tambahan cadangan minyak ditemukan dari 17 sumur deliniasi.

source: detik.com | July 2008

Indonesian president to launch massive Total gas fields

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is due to inaugurate Friday a massive new gas operation off Borneo by French giant Total, the company was quoted by Thomson Fonancial as saying.

The first phase of the Sisi-Nubi gas fields off East Kalimantan's Mahakam Delta went on stream in November and is scheduled to reach peak production of 350 million cubic feet (10 million cubic metres) a day by the end of the year.

Total, which operates Sisi-Nubi with INPEX and state energy monopoly Pertamina, is the largest gas producer in Indonesia.

The massive offshore project off the eastern end of Borneo has been highly anticipated as Indonesia seeks to cash in on surging prices for oil and gas.

The Sisi-Nubi fields will expand the existing Mahakam block, enabling Total to hold output at around 2.6 billion cubic feet per day into the next decade, according to the company.

source: Antara | July 2008

RI targetkan ekspor ke China US$12 juta di 2008

Pemerintah menargetkan ekspor ke China mencapai USD12 juta tahun 2008. Kepala Badan Pengembangan Ekspor Nasional (BPEN) Bachrul Chairi mengatakan, optimistis target tersebut akan tercapai.

"Ekspor ke China masih potensial dan kami berharap tahun 2008 jumlahnya mencapai USD 12 juta," katanya, di Jakarta, Rabu (25/6/2008).

Bachrul menyebutkan, pemerintah juga akan melakukan pameran dagang ke negara tersebut agar produk Indonesia makin dikenal. Menurutnya, produk Indonesia memiliki keunggulan kompetitif dibandingkan negara lain di Asia Tenggara.

Sementara itu, pengamat ekonomi Ikhsan Mojo mengatakan, target yang ditetapkan pemerintah itu realistis. Jika target tersebut dapat diwujudkan asal komoditas yang diekspor adalah bahan tambang seperti batu bara.

"Kebutuhan batubara dan gas di minyak sangat tinggi di China sehingga target USD 12 juta itu dapat tercapai," katanya.

source: okezone.com | June 2008

Kideco to up coal production by 9%

PT Indika Energy plans to raise coal production in its subsidiary Kideco by 9 percent next year to take advantage of growing demand for the commodity.

Indika Energy chief financial officer Azis Armand told a media gathering Tuesday that Kideco planned to increase annual production to 24 million tons in 2009, up from its 22-million-ton estimate for this year.

To achieve its aim, the company has set aside US$30 million to increase production capacity to 30 million tons next year, he said.

"We see that there is still a lot of potential in this sector, with increasing demand from China and India," he said.

Retina Rosabai, Indika vice president for investor relations, said 70 percent of the company's coal output was exported.

Kideco, the country's third-largest coal producer, has all of its mining sites in Kalimantan.

To strengthen its position in the local market, the company has recently submitted bids to acquire two power projects worth $235 million in total.

The company included the two projects in its prospectus report along with many others amounting to $4.4 billion in total.

Indika is now 20 percent owned by the public having previously been controlled by local businessmen Agus Lamono and Wiwoho Basuki.

source: Jakarta Post | June 2008

Dana Bagi Hasil Migas Dinaikkan

Pemerintah menaikkan porsi dana bagi hasil (DBH) untuk daerah penghasil minyak dan gas sebesar 0,5 persen pada tahun anggaran 2009. "Kita sedang buat formulasinya karena di tahun 2009, porsi DBH untuk daerah itu bertambah 0,5 persen sesuai amanat UU tentang Perimbangan Keuangan, yang berlaku baik untuk bagi hasil minyak maupun gas," kata Dirjen Perimbangan Keuangan Depkeu, Mardiasmo di Jakarta, Selasa.

Menurut dia, tambahan porsi bagi hasil 0,5 persen itu ditujukan untuk memperbaiki "vertical imbalance" (ketidakseimbangan vertikal antara pusat dan daerah), di samping "horizontal imbalance"-nya.

Ia menyebutkan, jika semula porsi DBH gas adalah 70:30 maka pada tahun 2009 akan berubah menjadi 69,5:30,5. Sementara untuk minyak, yang tadinya 85:15 akan berubah menjadi 84,5:15,5. "Tapi tambahan 0,5 persen itu untuk pendidikan dasar, masuk ke anggaran pendidikan dasar di APBD masing-masing daerah," katanya.

source: kompas.com | 24 June 2008

RI pasok 80% kebutuhan bunga nilam dunia

Rumah parfum dunia atau Internasional Flavor Fragrance (IFF) banyak memanfaatkan bunga nilam (patchouli) dari Indonesia untuk menciptakan aroma wewangian tubuh seperti Axe Effect produksi Unilever.

Joa Kim, perfumer senior IFF Singapura, mengatakan sekitar 80% kebutuhan bunga nilam IFF dipasok dari Indonesia. IFF adalah mitra Unilever dalam mengembangkan Axe Effect.

Joa mengatakan Indonesia dikenal sebagai pemasok bunga nilam terbesar di dunia sebagai bahan baku untuk wewangian. Sebagai contoh dari 5 ton mahkota bunga mawar saja hanya dihasilkan 1 kg minyak parfum. Bunga nilam adalah salah satu dari 4.000 bahan baku parfum.

Menurut dia, hampir semua merek parfum di dunia diciptakan oleh para ahli yang berada di IFF kecuali tiga merek ternama seperti Channel yang mempunyai rumah parfum sendiri. Hal ini karena untuk menciptakan parfum bukanlah hal yang mudah apalagi bahan baku harus didatangkan dari segala penjuru dunia.

source: Bisnis Indonesia | 19 June 2008