VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Swedish Ambassador to Indonesia, Johanna Brismar Scoog expected in Jakarta on Wednesday that Indonesia and Sweden would increase bilateral trade cooperation. She said that she along with colleagues and the Indonesian Embassy in Stockholm are trying to introduce the potentials of increasing cooperation between the two countries. Indonesian and Swedish trade value reached $744 million dollars in 2017, increasing from $670 million dollars in 2016.

“I would hope that the increasing trade between our countries due the efforts that we’ve been making here in the embassy. My colleague and the Indonesian embassy in Stockholm are promoting the bilateral ties between our countries. And I think also from the Swedish company side, they see Indonesia more and more as an interesting market not only because its size but because of its democracy because it has a steady growth, has a very good finance minister and Bank of Indonesia, all very capable and managing the country well so it’s an interesting country to look at from that point of view,” Johanna Brismar Scoog said.

Furthermore, Ambassador Johanna Brismar Scoog of Sweden stated that Indonesia and Sweden have reached an equal bilateral relationship. Some sectors that are being built are in the transportation and technology transfer. She also remarked that in addition to contributing to Indonesian development program, Sweden is also opening its country for Indonesian investors who are interested in entering the Swedish market. (VOI/Ndy/RHM)

Indonesia has asked Japan to remove import duty for fisheries products, Minister of Marine and Fisheries Susi Pudjiatuti stated.

"Please consider remove import duty for Indonesia, as we are still subjected to a 7 percent import duty," she noted on a statement received by Antara News Agency in Jakarta on Friday.

Japan should grant free import duty for Indonesia`s fisheries product, such as given to Thailand and Vietnam, as it causes Indonesia lose in competitiveness with the two neighboring states, Minister Pudjiatuti pointed out during a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Tokyo on May 30.

Pudjiastuti emphasized that Indonesia is fit to be granted with free import duty for its continuously and intensively effort in countering illegal fishing than the other two countries.

By granting free import duty, Indonesia and Japan will get mutual benefit as many Japanese business people invest in Indonesia`s fisheries industry.

In regards to the request, Minister Kono said that Japan currently has been reviewing bilateral trade policies with Indonesia. He promised to discuss it with Japan`s Minister of Agriculture. (ANTARA)

The Komodo National Park Office recorded that the United States was the main contributor of foreign tourists to Komodo Park from January to April 2018, reaching a total of 3,078 people.

"Foreign tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2018 were dominated by the United States, with 3,078 visitors, from the total figure of 27,550," Head of Sub-Division of Administration of the Komodo National Park Dwi Sugiarto stated in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara Province, on Saturday.

Sugiarto pointed out that countries that dominated tourist arrivals to Komodo during the January-April 2018 period were the United Kingdom, with 2,952 visitors, and Australia, with 2,831 travelers, in addition to 2,364 German tourists, 1,386 Dutch, and one thousand tourists from Italy.

Sugiarto noted that the flow of tourists to Komodo Park, one of the 10 national flagship tourist destinations, was dominated by foreign visitors.

The total number of tourists visiting during the time was recorded at 45,630 people comprising 27,550 foreign tourists and 17,640 domestic tourists.

According to Sugiarto, the flow of tourists increased sharply as compared to the first quarter in 2017, in which only 38,147 people were recorded.

This increase is supported by various intensive promotion efforts by relevant government agencies in the region along with the central government and tourism business players.

He noted that the number of tourist arrivals in 2017 was recorded at 125,069 people dominated by 76,612 foreign tourists, while domestic travelers reached 48,457 people.

"The flow of foreign tourists in 2017 was mostly from Australia, with a total of 7,412 people, followed by Germany, 7,330 people; Italy, 6,405 visitors; and others from France, the United States, and Spain," he stated. (ANTARA)

The Agriculture Minister, Amran Sulaiman, is determined to achieve self-reliance in garlic production by 2021.

The country needed to produce 550,000 tons of garlic from 89,000 hectares of land to achieve self-reliance in garlic production, the minister said after leading a ceremony to commemorate the birth of the state ideology Pancasila in Jakarta on Friday.

"The program must be realized. We must be able to reverse the current condition where 96 per cent of the garlic needed is still imported. We must be able to achieve self-reliance in garlic production and export garlic in 2021," he pointed out.

In 2017, garlic was grown on 2,000 hectares of land. The Agriculture Ministry had identified 600,000 hectares of land as suitable to grow garlic, he said.

The government would provide high-yielding seeds, increase the area of garlic plantation, and control imports, said the Minister. Every garlic importer would be required to plant enough garlic to produce 5 per cent of his or her import quota.

The Minister said garlic plantations would be expanded through state budget funds, farmers` self-financing activities, and investment. (ANTARA)