Minister Of Industry: UAE's Largest Sugar Producer Ready To Invest In RI

JAKARATA - Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said Al Khaleej Sugar Co., the largest sugar producer in the Middle East region and the world's top five, is interested in investing in Indonesia worth US$2 billion or around Rp28.68 trillion in the development of ethanol in Indonesia.

“AKS will invest in an integrated sugar factory in Indonesia. Apart from producing sugar, AKS also plans to produce bioethanol and electricity from biomass," Agus said in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), quoted by Antara, Sunday, November 7.

The commitment was conveyed by the Managing Director of Al Khaleej Sugar Co. as well as the Chairman of Jamal A-Ghurair Group, Jamal Al-Ghurair during a meeting with the Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita in Dubai.

In addition to attending the Expo Dubai 2020 event, Minister of Industry Agus' working visit to the United Arab Emirates was also to meet potential investors. One of them is Al Khaleej Sugar (AKS).

At that time, Minister of Industry Agus was accompanied by Acting Director General of Agro Industry Putu Juli Ardika, Director General of Metal, Machinery, Transportation Equipment and Electronics Industries Taufik Bawazier, Special Staff of the Minister Achmad Sigit Dwiwahjono and Indonesian Consul General in Dubai K. Candra Negara.

The Minister of Industry explained that his party will cooperate with other ministries to explore investment opportunities because they are related to energy investment and land fulfillment. In addition, Agus hopes that the investment of the Dubai sugar company will be the trigger for a more efficient national sugar industry in the future.

“AKS will develop ethanol fabrication from sugar. The ethanol is also expected to be an alternative fuel source," he said.

This effort is in line with the trend of reducing carbon emissions, which has made a number of countries rack their brains to look for cleaner energy sources.

Countries such as Australia, the United States, and the Philippines themselves have developed large amounts of ethanol as an alternative to fossil fuels. The use of ethanol in new and renewable energy is an alternative for reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

Apart from being a fuel, Agus continued, sugar ethanol can be used to reduce dependence on refined sugar.

AKS has a sugar factory in Dubai with a capacity of 6,000 tons of sugar per day. Apart from owning a sugar factory in Dubai, AKS also invests in Egypt and Spain. AKS annual income is estimated at 14 billion US dollars.

“National sugar demand is around 6.7 million tons. There are several ways to reduce sugar imports, including by preparing sugarcane plantations and encouraging the digital transformation process. The presence of AKS in Indonesia, God willing, can help meet the national sugar needs," added the Minister of Industry.