RADAR TEGAL - A new sugar factory with a fantastic value of up to IDR 4 trillion will soon be coming to Tegal Regency. The groundbreaking for the construction of the factory was held on Tuesday 18 October 2023.
The sugar factory stands on an area of 70 hectares. The foundation stone was laid by Member of the Indonesian Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) Maulana Al-Habib Muhammad Luthfi bin Ali bin Yahya together with the Regent of Tegal Umi Azizah.
Also present at the laying of the first stone of the sugar factory were elements of the Tegal Regency Forkopimda. The location is in Kedungkelor Village, Warureja District, Tegal Regency.
The existence of this sugar factory is certainly a breath of fresh air among the sugar cane farming community. The factory will be built by investors from PT Wahana Gula Investama (WGI) in the Warureja industrial area (KPI).
Realize sugar self-sufficiency
Director of PT Wahana Gula Investama Suryani Eka Wati said that the presence of this sugar factory was a form of his party's support for government policies in the food security sector. Especially in realizing sugar self-sufficiency to meet national sugar needs.
In addition to improving the economy of the community and sugar cane farmers in Central Java, especially in Tegal Regency and its surroundings.
Asked about the investment value, Suryani said the value ranged from IDR 3.5 to IDR 4 trillion because his party uses modern machines and industry 4.0 technology to achieve production process efficiency. The production capacity of this sugar factory is targeted to reach 12 thousand tons per day.
"We appreciate and are very grateful to the regent and the Tegal Regency Government for the ease of licensing and investment here, as well as the community's support in building this sugar factory. "Pray that the construction goes smoothly," he said.
Sugar contributes to inflation in the food sector
The Regent of Umi said that sugar is one of the commodities that contributes to inflation in the food sector. Every year, domestic sugar production is always disproportionate to national sugar needs.
Moreover, with the closure of a number of state-owned sugar factories, many sugar cane farming communities in their area have switched to other commodities.
He also welcomed the role of the private sector in building a sugar factory in Tegal Regency. Apart from helping reduce dependence on imported sugar, it also increases optimism for the government to achieve sugar self-sufficiency which has not been achieved for more than 50 years.
"Every year we still lack nearly 5 million tons of sugar for public consumption or for industry, so the government needs to import this sugar commodity every year," said Umi.
Apart from that, the presence of this new sugar factory with modern technology will absorb thousands or even tens of thousands of workers. Especially in the agricultural sector, followed by transportation and industrial workers.