Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sudaryono held a bilateral meeting with Dutch Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jan-Kees Goet to discuss the future of Indonesian agricultural commodities in Europe. The meeting took place in The Hague, Netherlands, with Sudaryono accompanied by Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, H.E. Mayerfas, and his team, while Goet was accompanied by Ralf van de Beek, Director for International Agribusiness and Food Security, and Mark Zonnenberg, Coordinator for Indonesia. Sudaryono emphasized the importance of agriculture as a key sector of Indonesia's economy, noting that the country is gaining confidence on the global stage due to its rapidly developing agricultural sector. The focus of the meeting was to explore new opportunities and strengthen cooperation to expand the market presence of Indonesia's flagship commodities in Europe. Sudaryono highlighted the strategic importance of the plantation subsector, particularly cocoa, which significantly contributes to Indonesia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides substantial income for farmers and national foreign exchange.
The mission aims to enhance the value of Indonesian agricultural exports in Europe, with hopes that it will benefit domestic farmers and lead to a more substantial increase in exports. As a gesture of friendship, Sudaryono presented high-quality Indonesian coffee and tea to the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture. In 2021, the agriculture sector grew by 1.84%, contributing 13.28% to the national economy, proving to be a crucial buffer during the COVID-19 crisis. By mid-2022, the sector continued to show positive growth at 1.37%, contributing 12.98% to the national economy. The plantation subsector averaged a 3.51% contribution to Indonesia’s GDP from 2016-2021, followed by food crops at 3.03%, livestock at 1.61%, horticulture at 1.52%, and other livestock services at 0.19%.
