Trade Minister Zulhas Asks Iron And Steel Business Actors To Synergize And Increase Exports

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan asked business actors in the iron and steel sector to strengthen synergies and cooperation with the government to develop the national iron and steel sector.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, said that synergies must continue to be built for the absorption of domestic iron and steel products while increasing Indonesia's iron and steel exports.

Exports of iron and steel throughout January-October 2022 reached a convincing figure, namely 23.16 billion US dollars.

This was conveyed by Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan when delivering a virtual speech at the 2022 Indonesian Iron and Steel Industry Association (IISIA) Business Forum. The business forum was held physically in Surabaya, East Java on Thursday, December 1.

"I hope this business forum can strengthen cooperation between coalitions, business actors, and the government. We must absorb the use of domestic iron and steel products and encourage Indonesian iron and steel exports," he said in an official statement, Thursday, December 1.

On this occasion, Zulhas also appreciated the implementation of the business forum and said that the existence of IISIA is very important as a forum and a holding for all national iron and steel producers from upstream to downstream industries.

"I welcome the implementation of this business forum in uniting the synergy of stakeholders and strengthening the national iron and steel industry and trade," he said.

According to Zulhas, iron and steel are the main components that are needed to support the National Strategic Program, which is currently intensively developing infrastructure, encouraging downstreaming and manufacturing industries, as well as the construction of a new capital city.

For your information, Indonesia's exports throughout January-October 2022 managed to reach 244 billion US dollars.

Iron and steel commodities are ranked 3rd in Indonesia's exports with a value of 23.16 billion US dollars or almost 10 percent of Indonesia's exports.