Inaplas: The Nutritious Food Program Carried By Prabowo-Gibran Will Increase Plastic Demand

Director of Domestic and International Partnerships Inaplas Budi Susanto. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Aromatic and Plastic Olefin Industry Association (Inaplas) said the nutritious food and food independence program promoted by the elected president Prabowo Subianto could increase demand or demand for plastic industry players.

"If it runs, yes, Prabowo's program, demand will increase. One is a food independence program, then a nutritious meal," said Inaplas Director of Domestic and International Partnership Budi Susanto in a press conference held in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Thursday 18 July.

Budi said that the program could be a solution for the domestic plastic industry, which lacks demand or demand.

He gave an example, for the food independence program, the association planted chilies using polybags or black plastic with holes as plant circulation. This Polybag is used to replace pots in growing plants.

"We have made innovations," he said.

Regarding the nutritious eating program, Budi mentioned that food and beverages are derivative industries from the plastic industry. Moreover, for processed food.

The processed food must require plastic, said Budi.

He made this statement when discussing the steps that Inaplas will take to deal with the decline in demand by domestic plastic industry players.

The decline in demand was caused by floods of imported plastic products originating from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, South Korea, and the Middle East.

The flood of imported products was caused by the Regulation of the Minister of Trade (Permendag) Number 8 of 2024 which relaxed a number of import permits.

With the issuance of Regulation of the Minister of Trade Number 8 of 2024 which revised Permendag 36 of 2023, Budi assessed that the plastic industry would decline even more.

He is worried that the downturn will result in the plastic raw material industry to close and have an impact on the employment sector.

"As much as 3 million workers will lose their jobs," said Budi.

Therefore, he hopes that Permendag 8/2024 can be revised soon and re-established Permendag No 36 of 2023 concerning the prohibition of restrictions (laltas) on imported goods.

"Permendag Number 36 of 2023 must be re-implemented to limit imported plastic products from other countries," he said.