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Today's Headlines Tea
Business players believe that Indonesia's tea exports will rise at least 10 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the first half of 2017 on the back of rising global demand, although there have been obstacles in terms of tea exports to the European Union (EU). However, Indonesia Tea Council Treasurer Teguh Kustiono is optimistic that there are plenty of other countries - outside the EU - where demand for Indonesian tea grows.
Due to the El Nino-inflicted drought that has plagued Indonesia in 2015 (curtailing output o agricultural commodities, the country's tea exports are expected to plunge by 40 percent year-on-year (y/y) to about 48,000 tons this year. The El Nino in 2015 is one of the strongest on record. This weather phenomenon, which occurs once every five years on average, involves periodical warm ocean water temperatures off the western coast of South America that can cause climatic changes across the Pacific Ocean, leading to severe droughts in key agricultural-producing countries in Southeast Asia.
On 18 October 2015, Indonesia Investments released the latest edition of its newsletter. This free newsletter, which is sent to our subscribers once per week, contains the most important news stories from Indonesia that have been reported on our website in the last seven days. Most of the topics involve economic subjects such as the government's fourth stimulus package, Indonesia's trade balance, Bank Indonesia's interest rate regime, possible defaults of Indonesian companies, commodity updates, and more.
In an effort to boost the domestic consumer goods industry, the Indonesian government today (23/07) raised import tariffs for food, cars, clothes and many other consumer goods. This seemingly protectionist measure is aimed at reducing Indonesia’s dependence on imported goods as well as to boost the country’s general economic growth, which has slowed to a six-year low of 4.71 percent (y/y) in the first quarter of 2015, by supporting development of the local consumer goods industry.
Japan-based Mitsubishi Corporation (through its subsidiary Atri Pasifik) and Thailand’s Ichitan Group have agreed to construct a soft drinks factory in Indonesia through a fifty-fifty joint venture which will carry the name Ichitan Indonesia. The factory, which requires an investment of IDR 400 billion (USD $34.3 million), will produce various beverages but specifically various ice tea drinks under the Ichitan brand for the Indonesian market. Production at the new factory is expected to commence in 2015.
Indonesia Investments has updated the company profile of plantation firm PP London Sumatra Indonesia (or Lonsum). This Indonesian plantation company, controlled by the Salim Group, focuses on the production of palm oil, rubber, tea and cocoa on its estates on Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan and Sulawesi (covering more than 110,000 hectares in total). Although the global palm oil seed and rubber trade is expected to remain sluggish in 2014, increased sales (and global price) of crude palm oil (CPO) will impact positively on the company’s financial results.
Indonesia's Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa announced that the Indonesian government approved plans for the initial public offerings (IPOs) of two state-owned plantation companies: Perkebunan Nusantara V and Perkebunan Nusantara VII. The former is engaged in the plantation and production of palm oil as well as rubber, while the latter is engaged in the cultivation and plantation of rubber, oil palm, sugar cane, and tea products. Before the IPO, the government will establish a holding company for the plantation companies first.
The tea industry of Indonesia has been in decline in the last decade. During this decade, the size of Indonesia's tea plantations fell from 150,000 hectares (ha) to 120,000 ha. The country's tea production and tea export slowed, while tea import grew. The lucrative business prospects of palm oil is partly responsible to have caused Indonesia's tea output to stagnate as some tea plantations have been transformed into palm oil plantations. To reverse this situation, the Indonesian government intends to revitalize the country's tea sector.
The Indonesian government has limited the surface area of plantations that can be owned by a company or by a group of companies that have one shared management. This new regulatory framework, stipulated in Permentan No 98/Permentan/OT.140/9/2013 with regard to plantation estates' licensing guidelines, is applied to 11 commodities: tea, sugarcane, oil palm, coconut, cotton, rubber, coffee, cacao, cashew nuts, pepper as well as cloves. The new law has been approved by the minister of Justice and Human Rights Amir Syamsudin.
The government of Indonesia expects to list two state-owned enterprises on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in 2014. Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Dahlan Iskan announced that the two companies involve Perkebunan Nusantara III and Perkebunan Nusantara IV. The main reason behind conducting the initial public offerings (IPOs) is to reap funds for further expansion. The IPO plan needs to be approved first by the Privatization Committee, under the wings of the Ministry of Economy, and then by the House of Representatives (DPR).
Latest Columns Tea
Indonesia's Agriculture Ministry is optimistic that the nation's tea production can reach 140,234 tons in full-year 2018, up modestly (+0.6 percent) compared to tea production in the preceding year (139,362 tons). Rising tea output is targeted to come on the back of the government's efforts to encourage the optimization of tea productivity. Key strategy is to make more efficient use of the tea plantations. Currently, there are many empty spots in these plantations. By planting new trees on these empty spots, tea production could to rise.
Among the beautiful natural scenery that attracts numerous tourists in Indonesia are the tea plantations. The region around the Puncak pass in West Java is particularly known for its tea plantations. However, Indonesia's domestic tea production and exports are on the decline, while tea imports into Indonesia have been skyrocketing. Not only in terms of quantity there is concern about Indonesian tea, but also in terms of quality. Lets take a closer look at the world’s seventh-biggest tea producer.
Associated businesses Tea
