JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry will continue to encourage increased productivity of the sugar industry through intensification and extensification patterns to the use of digitalization. This step is in order to accelerate the fulfillment of the increasing demand for sugar, especially in the domestic market.
“The sugar industry is one of the strategic sectors, because its commodities play an important role in meeting the needs of the community and as raw materials for a number of industrial sectors that use it. This makes the sugar industry have a strategic value for national food security and increasing community economic growth," said Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita in Jakarta, Sunday (7/8).
Based on Presidential Decree Number 57 of 2004 concerning Stipulation of Sugar as Goods Under Supervision, sugar is divided into three types, namely Raw Crystal Sugar (GKM) which is used as a raw material for the production process, White Crystal Sugar (GKP) is sugar for direct consumption or household needs. , and Refined Crystal Sugar (GKR) which is an industrial raw material.
“The Ministry of Industry is trying to minimize the gap in the amount of white crystal sugar production. Therefore, to meet the increasing number of needs, high productivity is needed. This is in accordance with the direction of the President so that consumption sugar production can meet the needs of the community," he explained.
The Director General of Agro Industry at the Ministry of Industry, Putu Juli Ardika, said that currently there is still a gap in sugar demand of around 850 thousand tons for consumption sugar and 3.27 million tons for refined sugar. The surge in demand is due to an increase in household consumption in line with the increase in population, community income and the growth of the food and beverage industry which is projected to increase by 5-7 percent per year.
Some time ago, the Director General of Agro Industry visited PT Rejoso Manis Indo (RMI) in Biltar, East Java. "To realize national sugar self-sufficiency, we from the government really appreciate the efforts made by PT RMI in developing the national sugar industry by establishing a sugar factory that is integrated with sugarcane plantations through partnerships with sugarcane farmers," he said.
In 2022, PT RMI will receive a supply of sugar cane with a harvested area of 15,080 hectares (ha) with a production potential of 93,661 tons or a significant increase compared to 2021 with a harvested area of 13,721 ha and GKP production of 67,677 tons. (LM)