Bantaeng, South Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - After noticing potential seaweed in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi, when accompanying Indonesian ambassador to Russia Hamid Awaluddin on September 28, investors of the National Investment Agency of Moscow immediately started building an industry.
The wish to quicken the building of a seaweed industry in the regency 120 kilometers south of Makassar, was proven by a second visit Friday.
This time, CEO of the National Investment Agency Trifonovskaya of Moscow Oleg Gorbulin had asked for six hectares of land for use to build the factory, storage facility, and equipment for mobilizing seaweed.
In meeting the wish of the Russian investor, Oleg Gorbulin was received by Deputh Regent HA Asli Mustadjab, and some other relevant government officials at the site of the project at the Pajukukang Industral Estate.
At the location, Oleg Gorbulin who was in the company of two of his staffers, asked about electricity and water supply, as well as other support facilities.
With regard to raw materials, the Russian investor said that if the seawood production in Bantaeng was not enough to meet the needs of the industry, he will seek the raw material from nearby areas with a seaweed potential.
He said seaweed will be produced into various food stuffs and cosmetic material.
"Russian seaweed consumption is very high, not only as foodstuff, but also as material for production into cosmetics. The investor has no concern in building the industry in Bantaeng," he said.
The industries in Russia had been using CPO, and therefore we are trying to switch to seaweed as long as production capacity is favorable, he said.
In the first visit, Bantaeng Regent HM Nurdin Abdullah explained about the potential of seaweed found along the 21-kilometer long coast. He hoped that with the factory in place, marketing and price are secured.
In the meantime, chairman of Asperli Arman Arfah said as the prospect of an industry is quite good because of the potential of seaweed in South Sulawesi, which contributed 60 percent of the national seaweed production.
Speaking of quality, he said Indonesia already has a national standard (SNI)which guarantees the quality, he said. (*)