Trade Minister Todd McClay said the six deals were signed between companies in the aviation, energy and e-commerce sectors.
“This relationship is thriving as New Zealand companies step forward with products and technology that supports Indonesia’s growth,” McClay said.
“NZ companies are innovative and held in high regard around the world.”
Prime Minister John Key and Indonesian deputy minister of national development planning, Gellwynn Daniel Hamzah Jusuf, visited Fonterra Brands Indonesia’s Cikarang manufacturing facility to mark the strong agricultural partnership between Indonesia and NZ.
They were joined by a delegation which included McClay, representatives from Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Farm Source chief operating officer Miles Hurrell and president director of Fonterra Brands Indonesia Achyut Kasireddy.
Fonterra’s Cikarang site, which was built to meet Indonesia’s growing demand for dairy, has the capacity to blend and pack up to 87,000 packs of Fonterra’s Anlene, Anmum and Anchor Boneeto dairy brands each day.
The Rp 340 billion (NZ$36 million) facility was opened in September last year and is the dairy co-operative’s largest investment in ASEAN in the last decade.
Kasireddy said NZ and Indonesia have shared a positive relationship over the past 65 years and, as NZ’s largest company, Fonterra has been flying the NZ flag in Indonesia for over 30 years.
“It’s a great honour to host both the NZ Prime Minister and Deputy Minister of National Development Planning here today, alongside other dignitaries, to celebrate both countries’ strong agricultural and business relationship,” Kasireddy said.
McClay welcomed Fonterra’s investment and said it reinforced the exciting opportunities available for NZ companies in Indonesia.
“This is a market with large potential. Fonterra’s longstanding commitment to Indonesia should encourage other NZ companies to play a greater role,” McClay said.
Several of the farmer alumni from the Fonterra Dairy Scholarship programme met the delegation to share their experiences about being part of the 12-month programme.
Run in conjunction with the Indonesian Directorate General of Livestock Farming, the participants learn best-practice dairy farming techniques through onfarm training sessions in Indonesia and during a 12-week visit to NZ.
