JAKARTA - The textile and textile product (TPT) industry is expected to grow even more with the availability of domestic raw materials. It is hoped that boosting national capacity in the labor-intensive sector will be able to substitute imported products and fill the export market.
"Optimizing the use of raw materials from domestic sources is very important in boosting the performance of the TPT industry sector in Indonesia," said Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita while attending the inauguration of PT Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) viscose rayon production facilities at Pangkalan Kerinci, Pelalawan Regency, Riau, Friday (21/2).
The new APR facility currently has a viscose rayon production capacity of 240,000 tons per year, and will seek to increase to 600,000 tons in the next few years. The company's raw material supply has been through national (Wood Verification and Legality System) certifications and international (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification).
In addition to the inauguration of the operation of the new APR facility, President Jokowi released containers of 10,190 tons of rayon fiber to be exported to Turkey and 12,000 tons to Central Java. Subsequent export destination countries, including to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, to European countries.
The Ministry of Industry noted, through APR and PT Rayon Utama Makmur investments, the national rayon industry's current capacity is 857 thousand tons per year, up from 2018 at 536 thousand tons per year. In fact, the investment from the two companies has the potential to boost exports to USD131 million per year. (LM)