SINGAPORE, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Singaporean palm oil firm Golden Agri Resources plans to nearly double its Indonesian refining capacity to 2.6 million tonnes over the next two years as it exploits the country's lower export taxes for refined edible oils, a top official said.
With currently over half a million hectares of land and 1.4 million tonne refining capacity in Indonesia, Golden Agri is a key beneficiary of Jakarta's move in 2011 to slash export taxes, the firm's Executive Director Rafael B. Concepcion Jr said.
"This (the export tax) has clearly incentivised us to continue with our strategy to producing more downstream and more value-added products and to expand the markets internationally," Concepcion said in a company earnings briefing late on Monday.
"As we look into the 2012 results we will see the full benefits being reflected in the company results," he added.
Golden Agri's fourth quarter net profit tumbled 36 percent to $748 million from a year ago, hurt by higher fertiliser costs as well as a fall in output of palm oil products. Shares dropped 2.7 percent on Tuesday after the earnings announcement.
Golden Agri's subsidiaries include Jakarta-listed SMART TBK, which manages all of Golden Agri's oil palm plantations .
Indonesia's Widjaja family controls both the firms, which dominate the Indonesian plantation sector together with Singapore-listed competitors Indofood Agri Resources and Wilmar International.
Concepcion said the Jakarta export tax changes would bring new competitors into Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, although their success would depend on having planted oil palms to feed the refineries.
"But ultimately it is not only the tax differential that has to be considered by potential entrants, but their ability to access supply and to market the output not only to Indonesia but also to exports market," Concepcion said.
Malaysia's second largest palm oil firm IOI Corpsaid on Monday it can build a refinery in Indonesia in three years once its secures higher supply from its estates in the country. [ID:nL4E8DR53V]
Golden Agri also plans to expand its presence in China by boosting its annual crude palm oil refining capacity in the world's second largest palm oil buyer to 396,000 tonnes in the first half of the year from 380,000 tonnes.
"China is the largest market for edible oil with high population, and its economy is expected to grow at respectable rates, and we do believe that this growth story will continue," said Concepcion.
Golden Agri officials said in the results briefing that the firm will set aside $500 million for growth in 2012 with half spent on developing plantations. About $200 million will be used to develop its downstream industry.
With currently over half a million hectares of land and 1.4 million tonne refining capacity in Indonesia, Golden Agri is a key beneficiary of Jakarta's move in 2011 to slash export taxes, the firm's Executive Director Rafael B. Concepcion Jr said.
"This (the export tax) has clearly incentivised us to continue with our strategy to producing more downstream and more value-added products and to expand the markets internationally," Concepcion said in a company earnings briefing late on Monday.
"As we look into the 2012 results we will see the full benefits being reflected in the company results," he added.
Golden Agri's fourth quarter net profit tumbled 36 percent to $748 million from a year ago, hurt by higher fertiliser costs as well as a fall in output of palm oil products. Shares dropped 2.7 percent on Tuesday after the earnings announcement.
Golden Agri's subsidiaries include Jakarta-listed SMART TBK, which manages all of Golden Agri's oil palm plantations .
Indonesia's Widjaja family controls both the firms, which dominate the Indonesian plantation sector together with Singapore-listed competitors Indofood Agri Resources and Wilmar International.
Concepcion said the Jakarta export tax changes would bring new competitors into Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, although their success would depend on having planted oil palms to feed the refineries.
"But ultimately it is not only the tax differential that has to be considered by potential entrants, but their ability to access supply and to market the output not only to Indonesia but also to exports market," Concepcion said.
Malaysia's second largest palm oil firm IOI Corp
Golden Agri also plans to expand its presence in China by boosting its annual crude palm oil refining capacity in the world's second largest palm oil buyer to 396,000 tonnes in the first half of the year from 380,000 tonnes.
"China is the largest market for edible oil with high population, and its economy is expected to grow at respectable rates, and we do believe that this growth story will continue," said Concepcion.
Golden Agri officials said in the results briefing that the firm will set aside $500 million for growth in 2012 with half spent on developing plantations. About $200 million will be used to develop its downstream industry.
