REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MOJOKERTO -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited Gempolkrep sugar mill, part of state-owned plantation company PTPN X in Mojokerto district, East Java, on Saturday.

His presence at the Gempolkrep sugar mill is part of a series of visits to numerous sugar mills in West Java, Central Java, and East Java.

During the visit, the vice president was accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economy Sofjan Djalil, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman, and PTPN X President Director Sugiyno.

At the Gempolkrep sugar mill, Kalla asked several questions about the progress in developing the sugar mill, because during his previous visit to Subang sugar mill and West Java, and Mojo sugar mill in Central Java, he learned that the operations in those factories had become outdated and difficult to develop.

During his tour, the vice president noted that Gempolkrep sugar mill was the best operation among three sugar factories that he has visited.

Kalla remarked that new sugar mills must be built to increase the sucrose content of sugarcane and sugar production.

"There is no alternative but to build new sugar mills," the Vice-President said, adding that the sucrose content of sugarcane and productivity of plantations must be increased.

"We have to put in place 'Program 110', which means 100 tons of production per hectare and 10 percent sucrose content. We have to meet this," he added.

The vice president stressed that the goals of the program can be reached by building new sugar mills. This would also ensure an improved standard of living for farmers and sugar self-sufficiency.

"Self-sufficiency will reduce imports and increase farmers' incomes," he added.

Therefore, Kalla announced that the government will build 10 new sugar factories in Java to increase productivity and reduce production costs.

Earlier on Saturday, the vice president visited Teluk Lamong container terminal in Surabaya, which opened on November 12, 2014.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika