The Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) highlighted the significant export potential for medicinal plants, with exports exceeding USD 90 million, or IDR 1.468 trillion, in 2023. "The potential is extraordinary. Indonesia is known as the 'Mother of Spices' for being the most dominant spice producer in Southeast Asia," said the Director of Vegetables and Medicinal Plants at Kementan, Andi Muhammad Aidil Fitri, in a voice recording received by RRI on Tuesday (30/7/2024). Andi stated that the medicinal plants exported by Indonesia include cardamom, ginger, turmeric, and temulawak. Among these, ginger and cardamom are the two types of medicinal plants with the highest export demand.
Kementan recorded that ginger exports in 2023 amounted to 36,859,912 kg, equivalent to USD 28,404,717. The export destinations include Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, and Singapore. Meanwhile, cardamom exports totaled 21,266,248 kg, equivalent to USD 65,555,225. The primary export destinations for cardamom with the highest volumes are China, Thailand, Taiwan, and Korea.
