The Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, has opened the door for foreign investors to enter the national fisheries business. The focus is on building local fish feed substitution industries, considering that currently, 89% of fish feed is imported. Expressing concern about Indonesia's heavy reliance on imported fish feed, Minister Trenggono emphasized the need to reduce this dependence to safeguard the fisheries sector. He highlighted the danger of potential export closures if alternative sources of fish feed aren't explored. To address this issue, collaborations with foreign institutions and higher education, led by the Directorate General of Aquaculture, are underway to find alternatives to imported fish feed, potentially replacing fishmeal with plant-based alternatives.
Earlier discussions between the Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM, Bahlil Lahadalia, and CEO of De Heus Animal Nutrition, Koen de Heus, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on October 11th, revealed De Heus' plans for a USD 50 million expansion (approximately IDR 710 billion) in livestock feed industries in Pasuruan Industrial Zone, East Java. Bahlil welcomed this investment expansion, assuring full facilitation of licensing, fiscal incentives, and the provision of raw materials for the livestock feed industry. He encouraged collaboration between De Heus and local MSMEs in executing their investment plan. Koen de Heus, CEO of De Heus, expressed gratitude for the government's support and emphasized the company's commitment to high-tech livestock feed production while collaborating with local farmers. He emphasized the importance of maintaining corn prices for farmer welfare due to the company's substantial corn requirement. De Heus has been operating in Indonesia since 2015, involved in the Animal Pharmaceutical Industry, Animal Feed Concentrate Industry, and Animal Feed Industry. Dutch foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indonesia from 2016 to the second quarter of 2021 reached USD 9.212 million, ranking fifth in FDI origin countries and contributing significantly to employment opportunities in Indonesia.
