Indonesia Morning News For January 23

Salt producer association rejects 3.7 million tons of salt
The Indonesian Traditional Salt Producers Association (KNTI) has rejected the government’s plan to import 3.7 million tons of salt, said KNTI chairman Misbachul Munir in Jakarta on Sunday.
— The Jakarta Post

Farmers stage rally against planned rice imports
Hundreds of farmers in Sukolilo sub-district, Pati district, Central Java, staged a rally on Monday to protest against the government`s plan to import rice, stating that it will lower local rice prices.
— Antara

Indonesia sets lower inflation target this year
The Indonesian government set a lower inflation rate this year amid rising food prices, Chief Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said here on Monday.
— Xinhua

Indonesia-Japan Fast-track Infrastructure Projects
The government plans to accelerate the development of several strategic infrastructure projects done in collaboration with Japan.
— Tempo

Senior agriculture official warns rice import could harm production
The Agriculture Ministry’s director general for food crops has criticized the Trade Ministry’s decision to import rice, as the country produced enough rice to meet local demand, and stressed that importing the commodity could disrupt long-term rice production.
— The Jakarta Post

Exclusive: Impact investor Patamar makes first investment from women-focused fund in SayurBox
Impact investment fund Patamar Capital has made its first direct investment from its women SME-focused fund by leading a round in Indonesia’s farm-to-table fresh produce distribution platform SayurBox.
— DealStreetAsia

Indonesian Trade Yet Affected by US Government Shutdown
The Trade Ministry said that the United States Government shutdown (US shutdown) currently taking place has not yet had significant impacts on Indonesia’s foreign trades.
— Tempo

MNC Sekuritas Targets Transactions of up to IDR300 Billion per Day
PT MNC Sekuritas targets daily transaction value of around IDR200 billion to IDR300 billion this year.
— Netral News

Indonesia sends trade mission to South Asia
Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita kicked off the trade mission on Monday to two South Asia countries — India and Pakistan — taking with him 61 businesspeople to explore the cooperation with their counterparts in the two countries.
— The Jakarta Post

BitConnect promoters are still targeting naive investors in Indonesia
Bitcoin investment website BitConnect might have closed down its fraudulent lending and exchange platform, but its task force of dedicated promoters are still at it – and are now targeting gullible “investors” in Indonesia and other parts of Asia.
— TNW

INKA signs contract worth Rp127.3 billion with Philippine Railways
State-owned train manufacturer PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA) has signed a contract worth Rp127.3 billion with Philippine National Railways (PNR), regarding the purchase of diesel railway train (KRD).
— Antara

Singapore startup 99.co buys Indonesia property portal UrbanIndo
HOMEGROWN property search startup 99.co has acquired Indonesia’s UrbanIndo – said to be the largest property portal in Indonesia with over 1.2 million active listings – for an undisclosed amount.
— Business Times

Indonesia’s GMF AeroAsia shortlists Airfrance-KLM unit as strategic investor
Indonesia’s PT Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia (GMF AeroAsia) will pick Airfrance-KLM group’s maintenance, repair and overhaul unit as a strategic investor after narrowing down a list of potential partners, a GMF AeroAsia executive said.
— DealStreetAsia

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