Insider Stories - Cargill, an American agriculture giant, plans to invest up to $750 million in the next four to five years in Indonesia to expand its existing operation, its regional director said on Thursday.

“I told the BKPM [the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board] chairman that so far we have invested $600 million in Indonesia plantation and food business,” said Bram Klaeijsen, Cargill's President and Regional Director for Asia Pacific Region on the sidelines of the Investment Summit in Jakarta.

He said the company is eyeing to invest up to $750 million “for additional plantations” to grow its business as its existing around 100,000 hectares of plantation nearly reaches a maximum production.

Cargil is an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services.

Indonesia Cargil has eight animal feed plants and a big sweetener plant in operation close to Surabaya in East Java.

Klaeijsen said Cargill also plans to build a food complex near Jakarta and it already acquired 15 hectares of land.

In Southeast Asia Cargill has facilities in Malaysia and Thailand.

In December 2010, Cargil acquired PT Sorini Agro Asia Corporindo Tbk (Sorini), previously owned by PT AKR Corporindo via a transaction of more than 2.7 trillion rupiah.

Indonesia-based Sorini is one of the world's leading producers and suppliers of sorbitol.

The company runs seven manufacturing plants located in Indonesia's East Java and Lampung provinces.

Sorini's product range comprises starch and starch derivative products including liquid and powder sorbitol, maltitol, dextrose monohydrate and maltose. All are key ingredients in the making of consumer goods such as food and beverages, cosmetics and personal care, and pharmaceuticals.

When asked whether Cargill was looking for other sectors, Klaeijsen said “Yes. We are looking food ingredients sectors. Cargill also active in the whole grain trading and handling. So we will need infrsatructure that.”

He also said as Cargill is active in the palm “so we will need infrstructure to that. Hopefully there is an opportunity to buy something. Because if we build everything that tjaes too long.”