From: The Jakarta Globe By Michael Taylor The palm oil industry has gone bird crazy by drafting owls to combat the menace of rodent pests, hoping in the process to burnish its green credentials and save money. Leading Southeast Asian producers of the vegetable oil have tried different pest control schemes over the years, from snakes to poisons, but the high success rate -- and low cost -- of owls has prompted more planters to turn to them for help in reducing damage.

JAKARTA, (Xinhua) Australia on Wednesday said that it has expected the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Indonesia to be realized this year, an Indonesian legislator said here. Airlangga Hartarto, head of parliament's Commission VI focusing on trade, industry and investment said after a meeting with Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson, that for the first time, such CEPA was discussed openly with parliament.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - In the past forty years Toyota has developed Indonesia into a strong production base for the domestic and export markets. "From 1987 to last year, Toyota has been exporting around 225,382 thousand CBU (completely built up) cars, exported 561 thousand cars in CKD (completely knocked down), 1.4 million engines, and 200 million parts from Indonesia," PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM) President Director Johnny Darmawan said here Tuesday (April 19).

From: The Jakarta Globe By Camelia Pasandaran Bogor. The chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said on Tuesday that the nation’s private sector stood ready to invest $150 billion in the government’s master plan for growth.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The price of domestic soy bean might drop following the international market price’s decline. “The international price of soy bean has dropped 2.66 percent,” said Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu in Jakarta, last weekend. The decline follows Argentina’s 48.8 million tons production increase in 2011. Meanwhile, Brazil’s soy bean production is expected to increase to 70.3 million tons.

TEMPO Interactive, Surakarta:Surakarta’s export value during the first three months of this year has risen by 11.4% compared to the same period last year. Import value rose to US$14.2 million, with the volume of goods rising from 3.2 million kilograms from US$12.8 million last year. “The global economy has improved,” Endang Maharani, the Surakarta Industry and Trade Office’s chief in charge of foreign trade, said yesterday. She also said the trend was positive in early 2011.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government is planning to double its investment target. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono conveyed his optimism that the US$ 100 billion planned initially until 2014 would be surpassed. State-owned enterprises said they were ready to invest that much. This means that private or foreign investments have not been taken into account yet. “We are renewing our target.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The government will prepare incentives for Chinese businessmen investing in upstream industries to reduce Indonesia’s dependency on imported raw materials. However, Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa has not confirmed what incentives will be given. An incentive could be given in the form of a tax break. Industry Minister M.S. Hidayat said a tax break could support the construction of a raw material factory.

TEMPO Interactive, Makassar:The Dutch government will explore the possibility of an educational cooperative program with the South Sulawesi Government. The Netherlands feels that they have similar cultural, legal and historical aspects to make it possible. The Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Tjeerd De Zwaan, said that the aim of his visit to South Sulawesi was to get closer to the people. It will be followed with a cooperative program.

BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is to visit Malaysia and Indonesia from April 27 to 30, at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Bogor, W Java (ANTARA News) - National private companies have expressed their commitment to invest Rp1,350 trillion (US$150 billion) in the country under a masterplan for acceleration and expansion of Indonesian economic development (MP3EI) until 2025. Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) Suryo Bambang Sulisto made the commitment at a meeting between the government and the private sector at the Bogor Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - An Italian investor will in the near future import crude palm oil (CPO) from a number of oil palm plantations in Bengkulu, head of the local Capital Investment Coordination Agency (BKPMD) Musiardanis said here on Tuesday. "Initially, they hope they would also be able to make investment in this sector but because of the lack of infrastructure, they only decided to import CPO," Musiardanis said.

London (ANTARA News) - Head of the Capital Investment Coordinating Agency (BKPM) Gita Wiryawan said Spanish investors have become interested in Indonesia as a country having a very vast economic potential. Gita Wiryawan found out about this positive development when promoting investment by the BKPM in Madrid, the Spanish capital, a press release received by ANTARA`s News London correspondent on Tuesday.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Malaysian and Singaporean visitors dominated tourist arrivals in Indonesia in the first two months of 2011, a minister said. "Admittedly, the two countries remain the main market for the Indonesian tourism," Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said here on Tuesday. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show 88,146 Singaporean tourists visited Indonesia in February, a 8.17 percent increase compared to the same month last year when the figure was 81,081.