REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - State owned forestry company, PT Perhutani plans to build a sago factory in South Sorong, Papua on area of 17 thousand hectares (ha). The plant will operate in 2015 with capacity of 30 thousand tonnes sago per ha. President Director of Perhutani, Bambang Sukmananto said that the plant would support national food security program.
"Papuan people still have to deal with problem on sago supply, then government asks Perhutani to build the sago plant," Sukmananto said recently.
The plant requires investment worth 80 billion IDR and is expected to absorb 400 local workers. In the first year operation, the plant will produce 24 thousand tonnes of sago, then to be increased gradually until it reaches 30 thousands tonnes. Local government will support the infrastructure including road access as well as port.
Currently Perhutani is still discussing power supply for the project with state owned electricity company, PT PLN.