Sampoerna family to build sugar factories

Sampoerna family to build sugar factories

Indonesia's Sampoerna family, which last month sold control of
its cigarette business to Philip Morris International Inc., plans
to build sugar factories in Indonesia, said an aide to Vice
President Jusuf Kalla.

The Sampoerna family met with Kalla for about a half hour on
Thursday to discuss its business plan, said Alwi Hamu, a special
aide to Kalla. Their activities will involve "clearing land as
well as planting," said Hamu, who accompanied Kalla at the
meeting.

The family is keen on any sector of business in Indonesia,
particularly agriculture and infrastructure, Hamu told reporters
in Jakarta.

For agriculture, the family is considering areas outside Java
island, including Sumatra and Papua, he said.

Philip Morris International, a unit of New York-based Altria
Group Inc., agreed to buy 40 percent of PT HM Sampoerna,
Indonesia's third-biggest cigarette maker, from the founding
family for Rp 18.6 trillion (US$1.96 billion).

Michael Sampoerna, great grandson of the founder, declined to
answer questions from reporters.

The meeting with Kalla, requested by the family, was attended
by Putra Sampoerna, the founder's grandson and Angky Camaro, a
Sampoerna director. -- Bloomberg