North Kolaka courts investors in Surabaya to boost cocoa, coconut downstream industries

Surabaya — The North Kolaka regency administration is stepping up efforts to accelerate regional industrialization by actively courting international investors through a two-day investment roadshow in Surabaya.

The “Kolaka Utara Industry, Trade and Investment Visit”, held on April 15–16, is part of a broader push to promote downstream processing of key commodities, particularly cocoa and coconut, as the region seeks to move up the value chain.

The visit was led by North Kolaka Regent Nur Rahman Umar, accompanied by the regency’s industry office head Andi Haerul Rijal. The event was facilitated by the EDC Forum, with Tenggara Strategics serving as a knowledge partner.

Surabaya was chosen for its strategic role as a hub for foreign consulates and trade offices covering eastern Indonesia, providing direct access to international investor networks.

Focus on downstream industries

During a series of meetings, the regent emphasized that the initiative aims to invite investors and business actors from partner countries to establish concrete collaborations.

The primary focus is on developing downstream agribusiness industries, particularly cocoa processing. Targeted products include cocoa powder, cocoa liquor and cocoa butter.

Beyond cocoa, North Kolaka is also promoting investment opportunities in other commodities such as coconut, cloves, essential oils and palm sugar. Opportunities are also open in tourism, fisheries and mining.

Engaging international partners

The delegation began its engagements with representatives from the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the Taipei Economic and Trade Office (TETO) in Indonesia.

Austrade highlighted potential areas for cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, including resource-based industries, industrial capacity building, and investment and technology support.

Meanwhile, TETO outlined its role in facilitating economic cooperation between Indonesia and Taiwan, focusing on trade, investment, technology transfer and industrial partnerships, particularly in manufacturing and modern agribusiness.

The delegation also met with representatives from Germany through EKONID, the German-Indonesian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Discussions focused on potential collaboration in coconut processing, including technology transfer, product quality improvement and access to European markets.

Dutch interest in cocoa sector

The first day concluded with a meeting at the Netherlands Business Support Office (NBSO) in Surabaya, where discussions centered on the region’s cocoa potential.

North Kolaka has approximately 75,000 hectares of cocoa plantations, but only around 25,000 hectares are currently optimally managed. With strong demand for cocoa in Europe, the Dutch side expressed interest in facilitating partnerships between North Kolaka and chocolate industry players in the Netherlands, particularly for downstream processing.

Toward concrete agreements

The roadshow serves as a precursor to the Kolaka Utara Industry, Trade and Investment Coffee Morning scheduled for May 11 in Surabaya, where the regency aims to deepen engagement with potential partners.

Regent Umar expressed hope that the initial meetings would lead to more intensive communication and concrete cooperation.

“We hope these initial connections can be followed up with tangible partnerships. With support from consulates and trade offices, we also expect business actors from partner countries to attend and explore direct collaboration,” he said.

The administration is targeting the signing of Letters of Intent (LoIs) across several strategic sectors as a first step toward realizing investment commitments.

Through this proactive approach, North Kolaka aims to reposition itself from a raw commodity producer into a value-added industrial hub, with the goal of boosting regional economic growth and improving local livelihoods.