East Timor to have its first sugar mill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A Rp 58 billion (US$25.3 million) sugar mill
\nwill soon be built in East Timor, opening up the region to the
\nsugar industry for the first time.<\/p>\n
The mill, to be situated in the Los Palos regency, 210
\nkilometers East of Dili, will be built by PT Ciptatata Indah
\nSejahtera (CIS). The firm will start work on the project by
\nopening up a 5,000-hectare sugar cane plantation in January.<\/p>\n
CIS president Bambang Harsono said yesterday that the planned
\nmill will employ between 3,000 and 5,000 workers, giving first
\npriority to the region's indigenous people.<\/p>\n
Construction of the mill and the installation of its machinery
\nwill begin next August, Bambang said, as quoted by Antara. The
\nmachinery is to be imported from China at a cost of Rp 27
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
The mill will have a production capacity of 2,000 tons of
\nsugar per day, or 40,000 tons per annum with a milling period of
\n200 days. Its milling operations are scheduled to begin next
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that, in addition to sugar, the mill will also
\nproduce alcohol of international standards.<\/p>\n
Bambang said his decision to invest in the area was not based
\non political considerations but on the fact that the region,
\nparticularly Los Palos, was suited to the production of
\nplantation commodities.<\/p>\n
He said that locals recruited to work at the mill would
\nreceive training in Java.<\/p>\n
At the initial stage, CIS will send 10 Los Palos locals to
\nstudy hygiene at a special secondary school run by CIS in East
\nJava.<\/p>\n
Bambang said that, to date, CIS has sent 64 East Timorese to
\nstudy hygiene in Java. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/east-timor-to-have-its-first-sugar-mill-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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