TEMPO.CO, Jakarta -Indonesia's iron and steel imports recorded the highest increase of 30 percent in 2018 owing to the massive infrastructure development in the country.

"The infrastructure development in various areas saw an increasing demand for several materials which could not be produced domestically," Chief of the All Indonesia Importers Association (GINSI) of the East Java Chapter Romzy Abdullah said here on Tuesday. He added that because the domestic industry could not meet all the needs, some of the iron and steel had to be imported.

Abdullah who is also a national iron and steel importer said he had not faced a significant hurdle in importing several building materials. In fact, the association could still coordinate with the government as a policyholder, he said.

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"The only hurdle is that several materials cannot be found domestically, particularly when it comes to a size suitable to the development specifications," he said.

He expressed hope that the import of iron and steel this year would increase by at least 30 percent compared to the previous years although the association had no detailed data.

"Right now, several importers can still not see the projection of (iron and steel imports) for 2019 as several Indonesian businessmen are still adopting a wait-and-watch approach with regard to the policy," he said.

ANTARA