Minister plays down on lower metal ores exports

By Bambang Atmaja

Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said that the government policy restricting exports of unprocessed mining products has led to the decrease income from exports but Indonesia will benefit more from upgrading added-value in mid and long term period.

Indonesia export of nickel ores decreased by 80 percent in June while copper ores by 90 percent, according to data from Trade Ministry.

?We expect the refined products will give much more added values for the country," Wirjawan told Petromindo.com, adding that processing the raw material domestically would add more values for commodities by hundred times and creating more jobs.

"Such (benefit) will come in mid to long terms. We are on the right track to achieving it. We prefer investors who have long vision to create integrated business," he said.

Editing by Adianto P. Simamora