Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan led the Indonesian Trade Mission Delegation to Qatar. The trade mission, which is scheduled to take place on 9-10 October 2022, aims to improve Indonesia’s trade performance. In the series of trade missions, the Minister of Trade is planning to attend a business forum and open exploration of trade agreements (business matching). It was recorded that 11 business actors participated in this trade mission. Indonesia’s mainstay products brought include palm oil and its derivatives, paper products, automotive, batteries, food and beverages, home decorations, handicraft products, garments, and beauty products. “The Ministry of Trade is committed to continuing to penetrate export markets to non-traditional countries and take advantage of trade agreements with partner countries to increase national exports. This working visit to Qatar is also a follow-up to President Joko Widodo’s directives to increase exports by opening market access and optimizing potentials and opportunities in non-traditional countries that can still be worked on,” said the Minister of Trade in a written statement on Sunday (9/10/2022).
Currently, Indonesia has proposed a joint feasibility study for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Qatar as a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (Indonesia-GCC CEPA). Director General of National Export Development Didi Sumedi revealed that the trade performance between Indonesia and Qatar still recorded a deficit for Indonesia. In January-July 2022, Indonesia’s total trade with Qatar was recorded at USD 758.07 million. The total trade between the two countries in that period increased by 29.02% compared to the same period of the previous year. However, Indonesia still recorded a trade deficit of USD 498.25 million. Meanwhile, in 2021, the total trade between the two countries will be recorded at USD 892.95 million with a deficit for Indonesia of USD 458.61 million. Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to Qatar in 2021 were recorded at USD 217.1 million or grew 32.17%. Indonesia’s main export products to Qatar are floating/submersible drilling/production platforms, automotive and its parts, steel products, medical devices, toilet paper and paper, tableware, food and beverages, and plywood, while Indonesia’s non-oil and gas imports from Qatar in 2021 were recorded at USD 138.3 million with sulfur, unwrought aluminum, polymers of ethylene, acyclic alcohols, and sodium hydroxide. “Looking at the position of the trade balances of the two countries, the Indonesian Trade Mission to Qatar is one of the government’s efforts to reduce the trade deficit. With this trade mission, it is hoped that the value of Indonesia’s exports to Qatar will continue to increase,” said Didi.
