Indonesia accelerates modern agricultural transformation
Indonesia is pushing for a shift from traditional to modern agriculture through the development of high-tech agricultural clusters, a move expected to cut production costs by up to 50% and double output, according to Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman.
A farmer plants rice in Lokpaikat district in Tapin, Tapin Regency, South Kalimantan. Photo courtesy of Antara.
Speaking at the Accelerating Indonesia’s Economic Growth: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Era event in Jakarta on January 30, he emphasized that the ministry is integrating advanced technology into agricultural clusters spanning from upstream to downstream.
The government is currently developing modern agricultural clusters in key regions, including Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, South Sumatra, and South Papua. According to Sulaiman, the initiative aligns Indonesia with leading agricultural nations such as the United States, Vietnam, China, and Thailand.
Indonesia aims to transform up to one million hectares of farmland this year. He expresses confidence that modern agricultural clusters will position the country as a global food powerhouse.
- Read More
Vietnam posts $3.03 bln trade surplus in Jan, FDI sector $4.43 bln
Vietnam posted a trade surplus of $3.03 billion in January, while the tally for the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector was $4.43 billion, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
Economy - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 6:36 pm GMT+7
Four foreign electronics giants make up over half of northern Vietnam province's Jan exports
Bac Giang, an industrial province in northern Vietnam, posted a 73% year-on-year rise in exports to over $3 billion in January, with over half contributed by four major foreign-invested electronics enterprises.
Economy - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 4:42 pm GMT+7
Vietnam’s 2025 credit growth may exceed 16% target: central bank
Vietnam’s credit growth could surpass the 2025 target of 16%, subject to controlled inflation and favorable microeconomic conditions, remarked Dao Minh Tu, Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), or the central bank.
Banking - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 2:14 pm GMT+7
Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant can operate in 2035 at earliest: ministry
Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant, Ninh Thuan 1, can operate from 2035 at the earliest, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said in its draft amendment to the power development plan VIII (PDP VIII).
Energy - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 12:49 pm GMT+7
Vietnam’s industrial production falls 9.2% in Jan due to Lunar New Year holiday
Vietnam’s index of industrial production (IIP) grew 0.6% year-on-year in January but fell 9.2% from a month ago, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said Thursday.
Economy - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 10:47 am GMT+7
Singapore banks turn to AI to overcome Know Your Customer process challenges
Banks in Singapore are increasingly turning to AI and automation to enhance services and address client losses due to inefficiencies in Know Your Customer (KYC) processes.
Southeast Asia - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 10:00 am GMT+7
Vietnam tech giant FPT charts path to $1 bln revenue from Japanese market by 2027
Vietnamese technology corporation FPT's revenue from its IT services in the Japanese market in 2024 topped $500 million, and its ambitious goals for this market are achieving $1 billion and ranking among the top 15 most influential IT companies in Japan by 2027.
Companies - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 9:00 am GMT+7
Thailand’s car production in 2024 drops to four-year low
Thailand’s car production in 2024 dropped 20% from the previous year to a four-year low, owing to weaker domestic sales and exports, although production is expected to rise 2% this year, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said.
Southeast Asia - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 8:30 am GMT+7
Vietnam’s resilience in face of global turbulences incredible: EuroCham chairman
Vietnam is heading towards a golden era, with a wave of investment expected over the next 7-8 years, said Bruno Jaspaert, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham), in a talk with the Vietnamese government's news portal.
Economy - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 8:00 am GMT+7
Thailand’s agricultural product exports surpass $52 bln in 2024
Thailand generated $52.19 billion from agricultural and agro-industrial product exports in 2024, marking a 6% increase from the previous year.
Southeast Asia - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 12:38 am GMT+7
Malaysia commits to maintaining open economic policy
Malaysia continues to uphold its open economic policy based on international trade while taking strategic steps to balance national interests in the face of policy changes under the new U.S. administration.
Southeast Asia - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 12:29 am GMT+7
Second phase of Thailand-China high-speed train project approved
The Thai Cabinet on Tuesday approved the second phase of the Thailand-China high-speed train project, which is worth THB 341.35 billion ($10.04 billion).
Southeast Asia - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 12:26 am GMT+7
Philippines declares food security emergency for rice
The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) has declared a food security emergency for rice in response to a sharp increase in domestic rice prices.
Southeast Asia - Thu, February 6, 2025 | 12:24 am GMT+7
Vietnam’s first LNG-fired power plant connects to national grid
Nhon Trach 3, part of Vietnam’s first LNG-fired power project Nhon Trach 3 & 4, connected to the national grid on Wednesday noon, according to project investor PV Power.
Energy - Wed, February 5, 2025 | 10:42 pm GMT+7
Registered FDI capital in Vietnam hits $4.33 bln in Jan, S Korea leads with 13.4-fold increase
Registered foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam reached $4.33 billion in the first month of 2025, up 48.6% year-on-year, while disbursed FDI capital hit $1.51 billion, up 2%.
Economy - Wed, February 5, 2025 | 5:37 pm GMT+7
Petrovietnam asks PV Gas to triple LNG Thi Vai terminal to 3 mln tons
Petrovietnam has asked its subsidiary PV Gas to triple the annual capacity of LNG Thi Vai terminal to three million tons, in order to ensure sustainable development.
Energy - Wed, February 5, 2025 | 4:46 pm GMT+7
