Wednesday, 6 June 2012

TOBACCO REGULATION AFFECTS CIGAR TOBACCO BUSINESS


             Strict tobacco regulation in the world affected PTPN X who runs cigar tobacco business. According to Mochammad Cholidi, Corporate Secretary of PTPN X, with the tobacco regulation, big cigar consumption increasingly declines and it shifts to cigarillos, even currently, mini cigarillo products are growth.

            “Big ciger consumption currently only reaches 15% of the supply to Europe, while cigarillo and mini cigarillo consumption reaches 85%, he said. Demand for Certain types of tobacco which are mostly used as raw material for big cigar increasing declines (for example: FIN Tobacco a Sumateran tobacco variety planted in Jember and Vostenlanden tobacco planted in Kalten).

            With such a condition, demand for cigar tobacco is stagnant as total demand increases while volume tends to decrease. Therefore, PTPN X seeks other opportunity by developing tobacco type which is in high demand, such as Virginian tobacco to fill shortage in domestic consumption. Currently, the cigarette industries still import Virginian tobacco.

            Another opportunity is export to China. The country with the highest economic growth in the world, its number of muddle to upper class increases continuously. They change their lifestyles from cigarette to cigar consumption for status. This condition is expected to increase demand of cigar tobacco.

            Farmers society and PTPN officers have dominated tobacco business. All tobacco products are exported, and this is where oligopoly practice occurs where PTPN tobacco buyers are only two, namely HKC and Burger.

            Data of the past 10 years shows that production cost increases up to 15% as worker’s fee increases. Price of fertilizer increases, land lease increases, and wage also increases. But, for 10 years, selling price to these two buyers only increases 1%.

            Almost all risks and Costs are born by PTPN X. So, if buyer only chooses some tobacco qualities, the loss risk of PTPN X is very large. In solving this problem, PTPN X conducts negotiation with buyers so that the risk is born mutually.

            There is already one prospective buyer and an MoU will soon be signed. Now, the buyers must convey how much tobacco they need and the estimated price. If there is loss potency, PTPN X will not plant tobacco. In the future, PTPN X will continuously increase quality. If this can be implemented, tobacco business in the future will improve.

            Currently, Indonesia supplies 34% of word’s demand of naoogst tobacco, and 25% of it is from East Java. Each year, the condition continuously decreases. PTPN’s planting area for this kind of tobacco increasingly declines as it considers buyer’ demand and existing stock.

            M. Koencoro, Chairman of Indonesian Tobacco Association, stated that cigar tobacco market in America has been closed for Indonesia so Indonesia needs to seek other markets, and Asian countries are Indonesia’s main attention. So far, 10% of total Indonesia’s cigar tobacco export is to America, but strict trade protection has made the market disappear.

            Indonesia must export cigar tobacco as its share in the domestic market is very small or only 5%, and the remaining is exported to Europe. Cigar industry in Indonesia does not develop because price of cigar is expensive and it is exclusive.

            China is a potential market because its number of smokers reaches 301 million people or 28% of total population. It has become a culture to give cigar as souvenir among the upper class society in China, so this opportunity must be used. Inodnesia is not included in the China’s Top 10 tobacco suppliers. 

Business News - May 30, 2012

PEOPLE’S PLANTATATION FOREST HARD TO DEVELOP OUTSIDE JAVA


             The Ministry of Forestry (Menhut) admitted it was still hard to develop People’s Plantation Forest (HTR) outside Java, because it was not east to cange the habit of the communities of the regions who were not accustomed to growing plants.

            “We at the Ministry of Forestry cannot do things by ourselves to change the habit of the people so the plantations which are now developing in Java can also be developed in other islands. We need support from other related institutions” the Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan was quoted as saying.

            Data of the Ministry of Forestry had it that poor people in Indonesia numbered 35 million people, 60 percent of which lived in the rural areas with forestry and agriculture as source of living.

            The Minister said the effort of rehabilitation and moratorium for new permits for natural and primary forest and peatland to restore the condition of forest was expected to protect welfare of people of the surrounding areas and in the forest because in such a way people’s living could be maintained.

            In addition to the above, the Government also planned to utilize 35 millions hectare of neglected land and build plantation forest as wide as 15 million hectares. The developing in Java can also be developed in other islands. We need support from other related institutions” the Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan was quoted as saying.

            Data of the Ministry of Forestry had it that poor people in Indonesia numbered 35 million people, 60 percent of which lives in the rural areas with forestry and agriculture as source of living.

            The Minister said the effort of rehabilitation and moratorium for new permits for natural and primary forest and peatland to restore the condition of forest was expected to protect welfare of people of the surrounding areas and in the forest because in such a way people’s living could be maintained.

            In addition to the above, the Government also planned to utilize 35 millions hectare of neglected land and build plantation forest as wide as 15 million hectares. The development of People’s Plantation Forest (HTR) outside Java was expected to supply raw materials for pulp and paper industry amounting to 80.5 million tons as well as plywood and sawed wood which was estimated at 01.48 cube meters per year. The way it had been, supply of raw materials for various wood originated from plantation forest developed by the private ector and people’s forest blooming prosperously in Java.

            Previously the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry Hadi Daryanto stated that the Ministry of Forestry Hadi Daryanto stated that the total holder of HTR Permit numbered 3,262 units on 165,400 hectare of land. The total area of land allocated by the Regent for HTR came to 661,157.73 hectares spread out in 111 regencies throughout Indonesia. Most of the trees planted in HTR forest were hardwood types like sangon, jabon, oak and mahony.

            HTR together with People’s Forest and Village Forest were the forest where the Government pinned hope on to promote people’s prosperity in and around the forest area.  

Business News - May 30, 2012

RUPIAH AND IHSG STILL HAUNTED BY TROUBLED GREECE


The Moneymarket
           Over the week the Indonesian moneymarket would still have to face the unending problem of the crisis in Greece, whivh was indicated clearly last week when the moneymarket was under heavy pressure. Asian stock index and currencies in Asia was in turbulence since market players were nervous about the slow process of recovery in Greece which triggered spiral effect on Euro states.

          It was fortunate for Rupiah that early last week (25/5) Rupiah managed to strengthen significantly against USD by 1.38% to the level of Rp 9.335. Strengthening of Rupiah was in tandem with weakening of USD against some Asian currencies.

        Beside Rupiah, USD was also losing energy against 5 other Asian currencies i.e. USD. Australian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar, and Indian Rupee. However three Asian main currencies Japanese Yen, China’s Yuan and Korean Won weakened against USD.

        Previously Rupiah value against USD was predicted to weaken because the market was predicted to weaken because the market was still referring to the scenario of Greece walking out of Uni Euro. The potential of Rupiah weakening out of Uni Euro. The potential of Rupiah weakening was among others on account of market sentiment which tend to be negative. Market players were still waiting for signals from Greece whether they would stay in the Euro zone or quit.

            Moreover, the market would also focus attention on the political problem of Greece toward re-election on June 17, 2012. Therefore Rupiah tend to weaken in the range of Rp 9,325 – Rp 9,400 per USD this week. The external factor was more prevalent especially if the scenario was Greece walking out of Uni Europe. It was feared that Portugal, Italy and Spain would also quit from Uni Europe since they had debt problem of the same nature as Greece.

            Evidently Euro nosed dived to the lowest position against USD since July 2010 after speculations at G-8 di not lead to any new step to overcome debt crisis of the Euro zone. Euro weakened by 0.8% to the level of USD 1,2582 after previously touching USD 1,2545, the lowest position since July 13, 2010. Against Yen, Euro also slumped by 1.4% to the level of 100 Yen after previously falling to the level of 99.54 yen. Meanwhile Yen inched up by 0.6% to become USD 79.47.

            Euro was continuously losing energy since this collective currency dropped to below 100 Yen per Euro for the first time since February 2012 and sank to below USD 1.26.

            At home in Indonesia, negative sentiment came from emission of Sukuk Global Bond Indonesia which did not sell well, i.e. Rp 550 billion of the targeted Rp 1 trillion. This was a follow up respond after data of Indonesia’s export fell into three lowest years. The condition means opportunity for Bank Indonesia to lower BI rate from the present level of 5.75%, which would automatically pose as negative pressure on Rupiah.
            Furthermore investors would turn to other instrument to make bigger yields. They were beginning to chase SBN State Bonds the price of which went down last week causing increase of yield to the highest level since December 2011 caused by increased inflation expectation.

            Yield of SBN Bond for a period of 10 years reached highest level since December 2011 because of the possible default of Greece which made investors leave the Euro zone. Yield of SBN rose by 0.06 percentage point or 6 basic points to become 6,31%. The highest level since December 15, 2011. Through the month of May, yields had risen by 36 basic points.

            Increased inflation expectation was on account of negative sentiment from the global market because of the debt crisis in the Euro zone. Political crisis busted out in some countries where the new regime was against austerity measure, which was the reason why Greece went default and most probably create contagion effect on other troubled nations like Portugal, Italy and Spain.

            Today the globel economic condition in Europe was far from certainty, not to mention the fact that Greece was going to quit from Uni Europe so investors were extremely hesitant to invest. In the event that Greece actually quit from Uni Europe, USD would strengthen and investors would choose to hold American bonds rather than bonds in local currency. Moreover there was no sign of certainty in Government’s policy on subsidized oil which was the reason why investors were hesitant about entering Indonesia.

            On the other hand the Government was badly in need of cash to realize the APBN-P State Budget which was why the Government was forced to borrow money. In regard to that matter economists and analyst believed that it was best for Bank Indonesia to make market intervention, so price down turning of SBN bond needed not to continue. If price of SBN bond continued to drop investors might release them; they would continue acts of selling and choose assets in the from of USD and this could mean a threat to the moneymarket in Indonesia.

            No doubt BI would strive to rescue Rupiah; they would limit Rupiah at bottom-line. So Rupiah’s survival would depend on BI’s strength to resist USD pressure.

The Capital Market
            Technically index of IHSG and BEI Security exchange were under selling pressures, the nearest support being at 3,950 level and the next support at 3,910 level. Market players still had to observe global sentiment which could lead index to move sideways with the tendency to weaken any moment.

            During transaction last weekend (25/5) IHSG moved sideways in the range of 3,925 – 4,025. If IHSG weakened it means only to continue previous weakening dropping by 39 points (-098%) to the level of 3,981.57. Nearly all sectors of shares flopped yesterday except various industry and consumer goods.

            At the regional stock market the positive sentiment from Europe made the index continue to roll like a rolling snowball because shares of the Asian states strengthened consecutively during different sequence of market. When share of New Zealand strengthened, it was turn for the stock market of Australia, Japan and South Korea to ascend to green zone during initial transaction last Friday (25/5).

            At the Tokyo stock market, the highest strengthening was in index of REIT 1.18%, while lowest strengthening was posted at index of TOPIX 30 at 0.3%. In Seoul stock market the highest strengthening was in index of KOSDAQ at 1.15% whilst lowest strengthening was posted in index of KOSPI 0.54%. Meanwhile in Australia’s stock market strengthening of index was considerably the same in the range of 0.2%.

            At Wall Street stock market indices tend to be fluctuation end ended up to strengthen thibly. Unfortunately index of the technology sector in Nasdaq was under pressure which stagnated strengthening process. The three main indices in America’s stock market drifted negatively throughout transactions. There was no strong reason for investors to buy any share since America’s and Europe’s economy were still in the state of slowdown.

            Data of closing session on Thursday (24/5) showed that index of Dow Jones Industrial inched up by 33.60 points (0.27%) to the level of 11,529.75. Index of Standard & Poor 500 strengthened to the level of 1.82 ponts (0.15%); index of Komposit Nasdaq fell by 10.74 points (0.38%) to the level of 2,839.38.

            Index of Dow Jones was advantaged by strengthening of Hewlett Packard which rose by 3.3% to the level of USD 21.77 after planning to dismiss workers for austerity in the next few years.

            As a whole the future of Greece and Europe would still be the focus of investore, at least half of the countries in Uni Europe prepared for anticipative plan in case Greece decided to exit. Various reports disclosed that investors still tend to wait and see about the Summit Meeting outcome and ad hoc of European Leaders (G-8) on the efforts of crisis solution in Greece. Investors feared that the meeting would drive Greece closer to the verge of exit from the Euro zone.

            The possible impact of crisis on global economy was part of investors’ anxiety. Furthermore downturn of economic state’s performance in Asia contributed to investors’ perception, especially since Fitch rating agency lowered rating for Japan.

            Back to BEI local security exchange, although index of IHSG once bolstered up to above 4,000, sentiment wise IHSG was still haunted by debt crisis in Europe, moreover with statement of the Greece Government to walk out of Uni Europe. Besides there was minimum positive sentiment from the local side so the market tend to refer to external factors. All the sentiments were technically reflected in index curve line which showed that IHSD was still in the phase of bearish.

            Above all, some sectors were still considerable, among others the sectors of property, various industry, trading, consumer goods, banking and coal mining. Although IHSG was in the phase of bearish and trend was turning down, the said shares were perceived as cheap which gave room for fluctuation, and time for investors to decide. It was predicted that IHSG would move in the range of 3,935 – 3,975 this week.  

Business News - May 30, 2012               

BILL ON PUBLIC ORGANIZATION SIGNAL STERN LAW ENFORCEMENT


           The Indonesian Law and Policy Study Center (PSHKI) saw that the controversy of Lady Gaga Concert vs FBI (the Islamic Defenders Front) was a separated thing from Bill on Public Organization. Because even without the controversial case of Lady Gaga, Law on Public Organization 1995 was no answer to problems including individual violence. The Bill on Public Organization now being discussed in Parliementy signaled action and consistency and law enforcement. Violence was happening openly everyday among the people. “Apart from the violence by individuals or organizations, there is a problem in the capacity and ratio of law enforcers: organizations. The number law enforcers personnel was not proportional against 240 million Indonesian people.

            The Bill on Public Organization signaled an ideal number of security personnel and population of a certain region the Director of Monitoring, Advocation of PSKH Ronald Rofiandi told Business News (22/5).

            Most of the public opinion today seemed to suggest that the Bill on Ormas was meant to oppress act of violence committed by some public organization (ormas). In fact action on ormas which committed violence had nothing to do with the existing Law on Ormas or proposed Bill on Ormas being discussed in House today. They were totally different things. “If the capacity of law enforcers today were ideal, violence by groups or individuals could be minimized.

            Discussion of Bill on Public Organization would automatically cancel law of 1985. PSHJK also saw that the 1985 Law was not revised because there were many substantial points which needed to be cancelled. Public organization were hunted by the previous regieme to be controlled and to repress the liberty to organize. Public organizations had strong political ambience rather than legal arguments. Besides, the Bill on Ormas tend to lead to second to registration which was unnecessary and more inclined to longer bureaucracy and tend to be repressive. Hence the very existence of Ormas law would make legal stipulations in Indonesia more complicated and served as no solution to existing problems. “Regulations on ormas of social organization should be focused more on clubs or foundations. A change as such had proper underlying legal strength” Ronald was quoted as saying.

            The internal agenda of Bill on Ormas this week was supposedly a decisive forum for House. BPSK was expecting change of Ormas Bill would be realized soon. The substitute was the Law of clubs which was being prepared by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights and must not have to wait too long. “So the Lady Gaga controversion and FBI threat shall have no connection with the Ormas Bill. The threat of violence itself would be in the domain of Criminal Law. Whoever participated, or provokes others to acts of violence would be in the domain of Criminal Law. But the Ormas Bill is purely for law enforcement in Indonesia.” Ronald remarked.

            In various consultative session on Bill on Ormas held in Medan, Yogyakarta and Makassar last March, the special Committee on Ormas Bill had not found any sound concept in regard to the urgency and definition of Ormas The understanding and scope of Ormas tend to generalize type and criteria starting from organization of profession to community of hibby and interest, foundation, clubs, and mass-based organization. “Violence is hard to eliminate, but it can be minimized. One of the possible measures is preventive measures through increased capacity of law enforcers. Such is already accommodated in the Bill of Ormas”. Ronald said.

            In a separate location, the association of Pasar Baru traders in Central Jakarta said that the presence of ormas was always related to crowds. The limited personnel of security forces was commonplace and naturally benefited by Ormas. The Pasar Baru shopping center had always been benefited by non-religious ormas like FBI. “In the era of President Megawati, there were many command centers of PDI-P voliunteers. They did not start riots, but regulated parking instead. Many jobless people found a job from car parking around Pasar Baru market” Irwan of Irwan Collection Chairman of Traders Association of Pasar Atom Metro in Pasar Baru told Business News sometime ago.

            Nevertheless some police individuals of polsek (sectoral police) level often asked for their share from some traders “In principle if trade activities of traders were not disturbed by acts of crime, traders had no objections to paying, so we practically never had any problem with ormas such as PDI-P volunteers and the like”. 

Business - News, May 25, 2012