The Industry Ministry is cooperating with various state enterprises to increase the production and trade of hoes across the archipelago to fight illegal imports and reduce dependence on China.

The ministry aims to have 3 million tons of hoes produced per year by various firms, especially state-owned industrial tool producer PT Boma Bisma Indra (BBI) in Pasuruan, East Java, which has a capacity of making 1.2 million tons of hoe heads per year today.

BBI gets its raw material from state steel producer PT Krakatau Steel.

“BBI makes the hoe heads and will distribute them to 12,609 small and medium manufacturers across the archipelago to make the handles,” said Gati Wibawaningsih, the ministry’s director general for small and medium manufacturers, on Tuesday.

Sales will be conducted by state traders PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (PPI) and PT Sarinah.

Gati said the four state enterprises had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve hoe production and sales on Jan. 5.

Last year, PPI imported 86,190 hoe heads from China to fight rampant illegal imports. This year, the ministry hopes to jack up local production to do so. (bbn)