(Reuters) - Indonesian crude palm oil exports may shrink due to the slowing global economy which could become worse than the 2008 downturn, but downstream industries and domestic demand for biofuels could benefit, the Indonesian Agriculture Minister said on Thursday. Indonesia is the world's top producer of palm oil, with exports expected to hit 17 million tons this year and output at about 23 million tons.

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Several Norwegian investors are interested in investing in hydropower in Makassar, South Sulawesi. “I welcome this intention not only from Norway, but other investors,” said Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan yesterday. Zulkifli said the investment would be a medium-scale and long-term project.

Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - The Bali provincial administration has exported 1.6 million pieces of woven handicraft goods worth US 1.6 million dollars in the January-August 2011 period. The exported woven handicraft goods included woven bags, paper towels, ingke (food places) and artistic lampshades, Wayan Gatrana, a local entrepreneur said here.

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Cosmetics producer Unilever plans to build a palm oil processing plant at Semangke, North Sumatra, at a cost of Rp1.1 trillion. The plant would produce fatty acid oil chemicals, Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Gita Wirjawan said after accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at a meeting with the management of Unilever here on Thursday. The factory was investment in the downstream sector particularly in the palm oil processing plant, he said.