Amelia Rahima Sari, Antara, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo or Jokowi inaugurated the PT Kaltim Ammonium Nitrat (KAN) factory in Bontang City, East Kalimantan today, February 29. The factory produces ammonium nitrate, the raw material for explosives and NPK fertilizer, with a capacity of about 75,000 tons per year.

Jokowi arrived at the PT KAN factory site at around 09:40 accompanied by SOE Minister Erick Thohir, Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, and Presidential Advisory Board chairman Wiranto, among others.

Before the inauguration ceremony, Jokowi and his staff toured the PT KAN ammonium nitrate factory by golf cart. The ceremony started at 10:00.

In his speech, Jokowi praised the construction of an ammonium nitrate factory by state-owned enterprises as an important facility to reduce dependence on ammonium nitrate imports.

"This is important because 21 percent of our ammonium nitrate is still imported. The presence of this ammonium nitrate plant will reduce that 21 percent of imports by 8 percent," the president said.

This means, he said, that 13 percent of ammonium nitrate is still imported. Jokowi went on to say that ammonium nitrate is a raw material for explosives and NPK fertilizer, which are important raw materials for the defense and food industries. With the construction of the PT KAN plant, he hopes Indonesia will become more self-reliant and self-sufficient.

"We hope that with the completion of the industrial development of PT Kaltim Ammonium Nitrate, our independence and productivity in the food sector will become more self-reliant and self-sufficient, and the investment of Rp1.2 trillion will not go to waste," Jokowi said.

PT Kaltim Amonium Nitrat is an industrial chemical company established in 2003 as a joint venture between two state-owned companies, PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur and PT Dahana.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1839298/jokowi-inaugurates-rp1-2tn-ammonium-nitrate-factory-in-bontan