Ganjar Promises To Expand The Downstreaming Of The Marine And Plantation Sector If He Becomes President

The presidential candidate will be from PDIP Ganjar Pranowo. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Presidential Candidate (candidate) Ganjar Pranowo said that downstreaming needs to be expanded not only fixated on one commodity, namely nickel.

He admitted that he would expand downstreaming to the sub-district sector to plantations.

"Hiliria is continued, not just a story. Today it's downstream again, it's nickel anyway. So I tell you why we don't downstream our marine products or maritime industries," he said when met at the Mega Bank Tower, Kuningan, Jakarta, Wednesday, November 8.

According to Ganjar, Indonesia also has the potential for downstreaming for the plantation sector.

Therefore, he said, plantation products that are currently only Biodiesel or crude palm oil (CPO) can be developed into pharmaceutical products.

'Hilirization of our plantation products. Our tweets are what? So Biodiesel, so CPO Why not become a pharmaceutical? Why not be cosmetics?," he said.

In fact, Ganjar said, Indonesia can also carry out downstreaming for the country's digital industry.

Moreover, he said, Indonesia has qualified human resources to do so.

"Hilirisasi industri digital kita. Infrastruktur ada, SDM ada, ekonomi kreatif muncul. Kenapa tidak kita menurunisasi? Jadi hilirisasi ada potensi dari berbagaktor," ucap Ganjar.

Previously, it was reported that presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo promised to strengthen the downstream policy launched by President Joko Widodo.

Ganjar emphasized that he would not limit downstreaming only to the mining sector, but would also expand it to other sectors such as plantations and marine sectors.

He is committed to carrying out this downstreaming while completing the programs launched by the previous Jokowi administration.

"Just tweet so far, only CPO, we haven't talked about cosmetics, medicines that are there, but they need research. Only 1 percent of GDP can be used for imaginary research, not with the existing strength, that's a commitment," said Ganjar in his statement, Tuesday, September 26.

Ganjar also highlighted the extraordinary potential of the marine and coastal economy in Indonesia, by exemplifying the potential for seaweed scattered on Indonesian beaches.

With a depth of up to 15 meters, it can be used as a strategic center of economic growth.

In addition, Ganjar emphasized the decline in the Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) which is currently in the range of 8.16 percent, high ICOR is one of the triggers for expensive investment costs in Indonesia, which hinders economic growth. Ganjar stated that one of the strategies to reduce the ICOR figure was to firmly and consistently fight corruption in various sectors.

"This is a commitment, I'm sure if you want to eradicate it. If we don't take things like this seriously, oligarchic accusations, accusations of nepotism, accusations of not being serious about enforcing will happen and we become pretending, our ICOR explodes because it's not serious," he said.