Government plans to require miners to give added value to their exported commodities could end up costing the country income, a mining association official said on Monday. Priyo Pribadi Sumarno, an executive director at the Indonesian Mining Association, said the domestic market for minerals such as tin, gold, copper and nickel was relatively small compared to the export market.

VIVAnews - Indonesia is the largest market for several Australian agricultural and dairy products. In order to extend the bilateral trade, the Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, is visiting Indonesia today. According to the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, the visit will include meetings with key Indonesian political, agriculture, forestry and marine representatives.

Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Finance Minister Agus Martowardojo is scheduled to meet with businessmen and local government officials here on Monday to discuss problems arising from the implementation of Batam, Bintan and Karimun free trade and free port zones. The meeting would take place in Batam on Monday evening (March 7), Head of the Riau Islands Provincial Industry and Trade Office Syed M Taufik here on Sunday.

"We want to make the areas to become economic zones focusing on industry and exports." Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Finance Minister Agus DW Martowardojo has called for the improvement of the system and concept of the country`s Free Trade Zone (FTZ). "We have two FTZs, namely in Sabang and Batam Bintan Karimun (BBK), but their system and concept must be improved so it would not be weak," Minister Martowardojo said here Monday, when visiting the Batam Customs and Excise main office.

World Bank Managing Director, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, opened the two-week "Emerging Indonesia" series at the World Bank Headquarter, Washington, DC Presentations from the event * Indonesia: Partnering with a Middle Income Client * Common Disasters and Uncommon Responses * Leveraging World Bank Engagements in Indonesia through Trust Funds * Does Health Insurance for the Poor Work for Indonesia?

The EITI's long term benefits may include increased investment in the oil and gas sector which will lead to greater energy security for Indonesia * The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is an internationally developed standard that promotes oil, gas and mining revenue transparency at the national level * World Bank and Publish What You Pay Coalition expressed optimism on EITI implementaion during a recent press conference.

KEY MESSAGES FROM THE REPORT * The main driver of the food price increases from 2002 to 2008 was the increased demand for biofuels and the consequent pressure on grain stocks, large land-use shifts, speculative activity and export bans. The impact of demand increases from China and India was minimal.