Indonesia wants tariff cut

Indonesia wants tariff cut

AUCKLAND (Dow Jones): Indonesian Trade and Industry Minister
Rahardi Ramelan said Wednesday that Indonesia is particularly
keen for the World Trade Organization to tackle high tariffs on
semiprocessed and processed agricultural products in its next
round of talks.

At present, "there is a high tariff for semiprocessed products
and processed products" produced by the agricultural sector,
Ramelan said.

Rahardi also said he strongly supports a decision by trade
ministers in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to push
for a broad round of world trade talks that include negotiating
on trade in industrial goods.

In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Rahardi also said
that Indonesia is considering a further cut in the export tax on
crude palm oil in a bid to lift prices.

He said setting the right export tax was complex, given the
low price of the commodity on international markets.