Indonesian Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan officiated the export of 10 containers of green bean coffee, valued at USD 1.48 million, produced by PT Ujang Jaya International to the United States. The event took place in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Monday. Zulkifli emphasized the government's commitment to bolstering exports to achieve a trade surplus. "We continually strive to boost exports as we are experiencing a 49-month consecutive trade balance surplus," Zulkifli stated in a press release from Jakarta. The Ministry of Trade is working diligently to open market access for Indonesian products by accelerating the completion of trade agreements with partner countries. One such agreement is the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA). "We are working hard to finalize the CEPA agreement with the European Union. Once completed, products like pepper, coffee, and particularly CPO, will face fewer issues in the EU. The agreement is nearly finished, hopefully by October," Zulkifli added.
Over the past five years (2019-2023), Indonesia's coffee export trend has shown an increase of 4.46%. The United States ranks first as the destination country for Indonesian coffee exports, with a value of USD 215.96 million, representing a 23.24% export share. Zulkifli noted that the main competitors for coffee exports to the US come from Latin America, particularly Colombia, which has strong branding managed by cooperatives and supported by its government. Therefore, improving the quality of Indonesian coffee is crucial, especially as there is increasing awareness of organic coffee consumption. "It is essential to maintain quality, including packaging and drying processes. Thus, I fully support cooperatives and warehouse receipts as cooperation is key to success," he said. From January to April 2024, Indonesian coffee exports reached USD 283.3 million, a 20% increase from the same period the previous year, which was USD 236.08 million. In 2023, Indonesia's coffee exports to the world totaled USD 929.13 million.
Source: https://www.antaranews.com/berita/4176072/mendag-lepas-ekspor-kopi-ke-as-senilai-148-juta-dolar-as
