INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - The national ceramic industry faces heavy pressure due to the high price of industrial gas which is considered to be increasingly burdening production costs. The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) asks the government to immediately take concrete steps so that the strategic sector does not lose competitiveness amid the onslaught of imported products.
Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Saleh Husin said, government support is needed to maintain the sustainability of the domestic ceramic industry, which has been one of the labor-intensive sectors and contributes greatly to the national economy.
According to Saleh, industrial gas prices are no longer at a reasonable level. These conditions make it difficult for the ceramic industry to maintain production efficiency amid increasingly intense competition.
"The ceramics industry needs government support through the provision of more affordable industrial gas prices," Saleh said in his official statement.
Saleh explained that the ceramic industry is indeed included in the Harga Gas Bumi Tertentu (HGBT) program receiving sector ofUS $7 per MMBTU. However, the scheme only applies to a portion of industrial gas needs.
Currently, about 40 percent of gas needs still get HGBT prices, while the remaining 60 percent must be purchased at market prices that reach around US$21 per MMBTU.
This condition is considered to be a heavy burden for business actors because it has a direct impact on production costs and the selling price of products in the market.
"Of course, this is very heavy which will make the competitiveness of the domestic ceramic industry go down and eventually have to stop production which then we become a country that imports ceramics, even though we have a source of raw materials," Saleh said.
Saleh reminded that if the issue of energy prices is not addressed immediately, Indonesia risks losing its own industrial strength and turning into a market for imported ceramic products.
In fact, according to him, Indonesia has abundant raw material resources and production capacity that is able to compete with other countries.
"Well, this should not happen. For this reason, the government's partisanship is needed so that the domestic ceramic industry can host it in its own country," he said.
In the midst of these challenges, Saleh emphasized that the quality of Indonesian ceramic products has actually been able to compete in the international market. This can be seen from various industrial exhibitions featuring innovations and designs of domestically made ceramics.
He claimed to have attended the NICE PIK 2 international ceramics exhibition which took place on June 4-7, 2026. In the event, various national ceramic brands received great attention because their quality and design were considered not inferior to foreign products.
"Yesterday I had the opportunity to see the exhibition in person. I also talked to domestic ceramics industry players from various leading brands in the country," he said.
Saleh considered that the ceramics industry is a sector that has developed quite well and is able to create a large number of jobs. Therefore, the sustainability of this industry needs to be maintained through policies that support the business climate and the efficiency of production costs.
"Do not let this industry die and be displaced by imported products and energy prices that are too high," he said.
