Zulhas States Government Will Build Ethanol and Methanol Factories for Downstream Processing

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) stated that the government will build ethanol and methanol factories, one of which will be located in Lampung province.

Zulhas explained that these factories are part of the natural resource downstream processing programme, including the food sector, as ethanol will be processed from sugarcane, while methanol will come from cassava.

“The President has already approved it; we will build ethanol and methanol factories. Ethanol from sugarcane, methanol from cassava. I have requested one methanol factory in Lampung, which is the king of cassava production there, right?” he said during his speech at the First National Working Meeting of the National Mandate Party (PAN), at the PAN Central Executive Board in Kalibata, Pancoran, South Jakarta, on Tuesday (31/3/2026).

If the price of cassava reaches around Rp1,000 per kilogram, farmers are expected to be encouraged to plant it, as it will be considered profitable.

Zulhas emphasised that this policy demonstrates the government’s support for farmers.

He also mentioned that the government is beginning to reduce dependence on imports, including by limiting tapioca flour imports.

However, after the import restriction policy was implemented, the price of cassava is claimed to have started improving.

“Yesterday during the halal bihalal in Lampung, no one criticised me anymore; it’s safe. But when the prices are good, the farmers forget about us,” said Zulhas with a laugh.

“They should at least vote for PAN, right? But they don’t; oh God. Maybe the cadres are not active enough,” he joked again.