Danaantara Boss: Downstream Agriculture Creates More Jobs Than Mining

CEO of Danantara Rosan Roeslani (Photo: Doc. VOI)

JAKARTA - CEO of Danantara Indonesia Rosan Roeslani said downstreaming in the agriculture, plantation and livestock sectors has the potential to create jobs much greater than in the mineral sector.

Rosan said, the investment value in the downstream mining sector is indeed greater. However, the absorption of labor in the downstream sector of agriculture to livestock is even greater.

"In terms of investment in one industry, there may be more in minerals. However, from the creation of the field, the job is much higher, job creation is much higher in downstream agriculture and plantations," he said at a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture Office, Jakarta, Friday, November 7.

Rosan said that his party would encourage and accelerate agricultural commodities. For example, coconut commodities are one of Indonesia's leading products as the largest exporter in the world.

Not only coconut, said Rosan, the government also sees other products that are competitive and competitive.

"So we will run this quickly, well and also massively, for programs, especially since this also involves farmers," said Rosan.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman said the commodities that will be accelerated downstream are coconut, cocoa, mente, palm oil, and inner coconut.

Amran said downstreaming in coconut commodities was able to provide a very large added value for farmers. In fact, it can reach IDR 2,400 trillion.

"Well, we downstream this if according to the industrial tree diagram, it can be 100 times. What does that mean? It could be IDR 2,400 trillion, but in theory. It could be only 50 percent, 50 times, or 20 times," said Amran.

In North Maluku, continued Amran, the price of coconut in the area has started to rise. Initially, priced at Rp600 per item, now why has Rp3,500 per item.

"It increased by approximately 500 percent and we hope, the price should be at least Rp. 5,000 and could increase by 1,000 percent, it should be Rp. 6,000, which means 1,000 percent," he said.

In addition to prices, said Amran, downstreaming will also have a major impact on employment.

"Well, that's the profit in the future to be able to employ 1.4 million people on plantations, livestock and a total of approximately 3 million people in the future. Hopefully this 3-4 years will be finished," he said.