Asaki Hopes That The Government Will Step In To Protect The Domestic Ceramic Industry

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Keramic Industry Association (Asaki) hopes that the government will immediately intervene by taking a firm policy to protect the domestic ceramic industry, considering that the manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) in July 2024 will go down to a contraction phase, namely at 49.3 points. Chairman of Asaki Edy Suyanto in his statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, August 13, said that the decline in the ceramic sector was due to the unhealthy trade practice (unfair trade) from foreign ceramic producers so that there needed to be trade barriers (trade remedies) in the form of Anti-damping Import Duty (BMAD) which had the appropriate amount. "It must be watched out that this happened because it was oversupply and overcapacity of the Chinese ceramic industry and especially lost its main export markets such as the United States, Mexico, European Union and the Middle East post-states implemented high BMAD in the range of 100-400 percent against products from China. We must imitate the success and courage of these countries," he said, quoted from Antara. He said President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the inaugural plenary cabinet meeting in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN), East Kalimantan, Monday (12/8) also highlighted the weakening condition of PMI manufacturing.

On this occasion, the President ordered the ministers to anticipate and find out why Indonesian PMI could go down to the contraction phase.

On that occasion, President Jokowi also assessed that there was an attack on imported products entering the Indonesian market, resulting in the weakening of PMI. Therefore, Edy said, his party expects the attention and direct intervention of President Joko Widodo to solve the problems in the domestic ceramic sector. Edy said, no industry or developed countries in the international market are resistant and strong in dealing with unhealthy competition, such as unfair trade and product sales below market price (predatory pricing). In addition, he said, his party also hopes that the government can optimize the distribution of industrial gas subsidies through certain natural gas prices (HGBT) for the ceramic industry.

Sebelumnya Menteri Perdagangan (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan mengatakan penyelidikan terkait impor keramik yang dilakukan oleh Komite Anti Dumping Indonesia (KADI) telah selesai, dan ada penetapan Bea Masuk Anti Dumping (BMAD) sebesar 45-50 persen.Tak hanya KADI, lanjut Zulkifli, Komite Pengamanan Perdagangan Indonesia (KPPI) juga telah menyelesaikan penyelidikan terkait impor keramik.Hasil dari penyelidikan tersebut, telah diberlakukan Bea Masuk Tindakan Pengamanan (BMTP) atau safeguard sebesar 13 persen.