
InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – The President Director of Holding Perkebunan Nusantara PTPN III (Persero), Mohammad Abdul Ghani, visited China on Thursday, January 9, 2025, to discuss strategic cooperation opportunities with Basic International Investment Pte Ltd. The productive meeting focused on business investments in the Sei Mangkei Special Economic Zone (KEK) in North Sumatra.
During the meeting, Abdul Ghani was welcomed by the CEO of Basic International Investment, Liu. The discussions highlighted the shared vision of both parties to combine business benefits with broader social advantages.
Liu expressed appreciation for PTPN's support for his company's business activities in Indonesia. He outlined significant investment plans in KEK Sei Mangkei, including the construction of a natural rubber glove factory and the establishment of a rubber research and development (R&D) center.
"We are committed to employing up to 7,000 local workers and enhancing the quality of rubber-based products through collaboration with research institutions such as the Plantation Research Institute (RPN)," Liu stated in a written statement, as quoted by InfoSAWIT on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
According to Liu, Indonesia, particularly KEK Sei Mangkei, holds a strategic position for investment amid global dynamics. Additionally, Basic International plans to develop a biomass power plant to support the transformation of the area into a Green Industry Zone.
Enhancing the Economic Value of Rubber
Abdul Ghani welcomed the investment plans, noting that this initiative would create new opportunities to enhance the economic value of rubber amid commodity price pressures.
"The plan to convert rubber land into palm oil or sugarcane will be reass essed according to the raw material needs to support this investment," Abdul Ghani said.
Furthermore, this cooperation is expected to have a significant social impact. "With the increase in local employment, this step aligns with the government's target under President Prabowo Subianto to achieve eight percent economic growth," he added.
Support for National Programs
During the discussions, Basic International also expressed interest in investing in the dairy cattle sector to support the government's Free Nutritious Food Program. Its subsidiary, PT Basic International Sumatera (BASIC), has already invested IDR 659 billion in KEK Sei Mangkei in 2024.
This project is part of a long-term investment plan worth IDR 15 trillion. In the first phase, an investment of IDR 4.8 trillion will be gradually realized over five years starting from July 2024.
This collaboration is anticipated to be a significant milestone in the development of sustainable business in Indonesia, contributing positively to the national economy and improving the welfare of local communities. (T2)