After less than two years in existence, the Indonesian Palm Oil Pledge has disbanded to the dismay of environmentalists who say its member companies were bullied by the Indonesian government into adopting weaker standards.
Barry Callebaut is expanding its sustainability program in Indonesia and has announced plans to train 50,000 farmers in good agricultural practice by 2020.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) will publish maps of all its members’ palm oil plantations – with the exception of Malaysia – in the hope closer monitoring will prevent forest fires and peat land destruction. But is this enough?
A lack of tougher penalties and shortage of staff are hindering local authorities’ attempts to tighten control over businesses that violate food safety laws as more samples of meat, vegetables and seafood fail to meet hygiene and quality standards.
The Norwegian national investment fund has cut ties with four major Asian companies, citing the risk of ‘severe environmental damage’ as a result of palm oil plantations.
H.B. Fuller will open a hot melt and water-based adhesives manufacturing facility in Surabaya, Indonesia, with operations starting in the second quarter of 2016.
Barry Callebaut has announced it will establish a chocolate plant on the premises of Indonesian biscuit firm GarudaFood to supply it 10,000 metric tons of compound chocolate per year.
By Annie-Rose Harrison-Dunn, reporting from Indonesia
Indonesia has ambitious plans to add value to its seaweed industry – but its success could depend on the outcome of an ongoing tug-of-war between industry and government.
The new Indonesian government has blown up around 30 boats fishing illegally to send a strong message on sustainability, Indonesia’s director general for Fisheries Product Processing and Marketing at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF)...
Not long in office, Indonesian president Joko Widodo plans to grow rice production by 30% each year—a sum that is vitally necessary for the country to be self-sufficient in rice by 2017.
Austrian-based biscuit firm Josef Manner is considering marking its entry into Asia by entering Indonesia, where there is already an established wafer market.
Special edition: Beyond 2020 - The future of sustainable cocoa
Asia is poised to help meet rising demand for cocoa, but its key producer Indonesia faces quality concerns and its government lacks incentive to grow the sector.
Multinationals chocolate companies and the public and private sector will come together this week to assess the future of cocoa sustainability in Asia and how to capitalize on rising chocolate demand in the reg
Mondelēz, Mars, Nestlé and Barry Callebaut and Cargill are backing a three-year sustainable cocoa program in Indonesia, which aims to reduce poverty and greenhouse gas emissions.
An Indonesian canned fish producer is aiming to make its entry into the Middle East food market, as Indonesia’s government aims to bolster its national fishing industry.
The Malaysian government has launched its own sustainable palm oil certification standard – but will this add to or detract from sustainability and transparency efforts in the sector?
Indonesia plans to process half of its seaweed domestically by 2020, meaning the carrageenan supply chain could see massive geographic diversions in the future.
Danone has agreed to sell its Indonesia fresh dairy business to local food and beverage firm Indofood (ICBP) for a reported 250bn Indonesian Rupiah (US$20.5m, €16.4m).
By RJ Whitehead and Shane Starling from FI-Asia in Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia's food industry will continue to grow in importance as its population of around 300 million gains wealth, according to some voices in the halls of the Jakarta International Expo at Food Ingredients-Asia last week. But it may have some way...
Indonesia’s poultry sector is fast transforming from a backyard industry to professionally managed and integrated production, according to figures released by Rabobank.
Indonesia’s fast-growing importance in flavour production was acknowledged by the opening of a US$27m spray-dry facility by the worldwide flavours and scents market leader, Givaudan.
Swiss business developer and Indonesian government signs Cargill Cocoa Promise, just as the firm announces initial cocoa processing tests at its first Asian plant in East Java.
The opportunities to engage with Southeast Asia’s growing middle-class are abundant, but marketeers will also need to nurture the consumer up the value chain to ensure success.
With wheat consumption is on the rise in Indonesia, the country might soon be in a position to resolve its self-sufficiency target for rice, according to a new report by Rabobank.
Analysts have been predicting price rises and a slowing of economic growth in Southeast Asia as the drought that has gripped the region since the start of the year continues to disrupt water supplies, and Indonesian fires rage.
Australia’s live cattle exports posted strong growth in 2013, with an 18% year-on-year increase in the 10 months from January to October. According to figures from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Australia exported 650,830 head of cattle during this...
Owens-Illinois, the world's largest glass container manufacturer, will increase investment in its Jakarta plant, having already increased its production line speed and capacity to support Southeast Asian growth.
Australia’s livestock export traders have said they want to ensure that their lucrative export business with Indonesia is not damaged by the fall-out from a diplomatic row over spying.
By Rick Beckmann, senior foreign legal counsel, and Aldi Rakhmatillah, associate, of Susandarini & Partners, in association with Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
How should Indonesia and, more to the point, the local community, benefit from foreign investment in plantations?
By Rick Beckmann, senior foreign legal counsel and Aldi Rakhmatillah, associate, of Susandarini & Partners in association with Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
The Indonesian Government is planning to crack down on further expansion of groups in the powerful palm oil plantation industry and, indirectly, foreign conglomerates.
The Indonesian deputy trade minister has said that after successfully increasing domestic cocoa grinding capacity the country should lower cocoa bean import duties to prevent shortages in the future.
Australian beef exports will continue to gain pace over the rest of the year, boosted by drought, emerging market demand and a more favourable currency, according to Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
Singapore-based Petra Foods has reported first quarter profit gains in its branded consumer division driven by rising chocolate consumption in markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines and improved margins by introducing more premium products.
In the wake of the European Commission’s announcement that it will adopt a proposal to restrict the use of three pesticides belonging to the neonicotinoid family, rice research guru Bas Bouman has called for Asia to take different approaches, including...
FoodNavigator-Asia recently visited Indonesia's largest extraction facility, Javaplant, to look at how one of Asia's top 10 botanical, coffee and tea extractors produces products for export around the world.
