Waste management, fertilizer investments heading to Trenggalek

Trenggalek Regency, East Java Province has become an attractive investment target for foreign investors. Trenggalek Regency Investment and One-Stop Integrated Service Office (DPMPTSP) Head Edi Santoso divulged that there are interest from three foreign investors who want to invest in the regency.

"For foreign investment, there are those who have shown interest, namely investment in waste management at the Srabah TPA (Final Disposal Site) [in] Bendungan District," said Edi on Jan. 14, 2025.

There are two foreign investors interested in the waste management project, one is from North America while the other is from China. There are also domestic investors who are competing to invest in the same industry.

"There has been a proposal from North America, the tonnage of waste processed is quite large not only from Trenggalek but also from the surrounding districts, namely Tulungagung and Ponorogo. So, the investment value is also large, it could be more than Rp1 trillion," he added.

This waste management business will produce two different output, namely electricity and briquettes. The level of output from waste management will also be a consideration for investors for whether they find it suitable to invest in Trenggalek or choose another region instead. There is also the interest of investors from China to produce organic fertilizer. But the initiative is still in the exploration stage, so Edi could not yet state the exact value of the potential investment.

"All of them have contacted us and will conduct a field survey on whether or not they [the investments] are compatible with the business they will run," he explained.

Facilitation until the interest for investment to Trenggalek Regency has been realized is very important to the regency. Hence, the Trenggalek Regency DPMPTSP strives to create an investment climate that is welcoming to prospective investors.

"We continue to improve, starting from the RTRW (Regional Spatial Planning) regulation to simplifying licensing. We also continue to compete with other regions to make investors see that Trenggalek is the most efficient in providing services [to investors]," Edi concluded.

Meanwhile, a Chinese investor is building a porang tuber factory with an investment value of Rp40 billion in Tamanan Village, Trenggalek District, Trenggalek Regency, East Java. Although only 50 percent of that investment has been realized, the project's investment value is predicted to continue to grow as production increases.