Indonesia to Build Water Hyacinth Factory

The plan has been outlined since six months ago.

Viva News, Antique, Elly Setyo Rini, KAMIS, 14 JANUARI 2010, 17:01 WIB

(Antara/ Wahyu Putro)

VIVAnews - Indonesian entrepreneurs will shortly establish a water hyacinth processing factory in Egypt.

“It’s better for the government of Egypt to spend their money on developing a processing industry than cleaning off water hyacinth on the River Nil,” the Association of Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Producers (Asmindo) Ambar Tjahjono said after meeting the Egypt delegations at the office of Industry Department on Thursday, January 14.

Tjahjono said the plan has been outlined since six months ago and is facilitated by the State Minister for Coop and Small and Medium Enterprises.

“Asmindo and Baraka Group from Egypt are currently working on the business agreement. Hopefully it will be done in two months,” he said.

Indonesian furniture entrepreneurs will be teaming up with Baraka Group to develop the water hyacinth processing factory in Egypt. The investment is predicted to be worth Rp 10 billion which will be split evenly by both institutions.

There have been 50 to 100 tons of water hyacinth ready to be made into furniture and handicrafts like bags, floor mats and steel. The factory will hire 400 workers which also include Indonesian labors.

However, the collaboration is still challenged by the absence of Intellectual Property Rights Recognition on designs from Indonesia. “I’ve met the President Director of Baraka Group (Mohamed Barakan) and he promised to solve this problem in two weeks,” Tjahjono said.

He also said that the water hyacinth processing will slowly be turned into home industry due to Egypt’s reputation as world tourism site.

Products made out of the plant will be marketed domestically in Egypt and exported to neighboring countries.

Translated by: Nataya Ermanti

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