In a recent dissemination event held in Surabaya on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, experts emphasized the need for downstreaming of key agricultural commodities, including shrimp, seaweed, TTC (tuna, tongkol, cakalang), and rice. These commodities are crucial due to their high export demand, and improving their performance is essential to maximizing their potential. According to Prof. Dr. Sahara, Executive Director of ITAPS, these commodities belong in the "quadrant one" category, meaning their importance is high, but their export performance needs to be enhanced. While they have great export potential, their development has not yet reached its full capacity. In addition, other commodities such as onions, chilies, and freshwater fish were identified as being in the "quadrant two," which have relatively higher performance but still require further attention in terms of downstreaming efforts.
The event, initiated by Bank Indonesia East Java, also featured prominent economic experts like Mohammad Subehan, Dr. Santoso, and Maximilan T. Tutuarima. The theme of the event, "Agricultural Downstreaming Strategies to Enhance Added Value and Food Security in Java," was chosen to strengthen the agricultural sector's contribution to regional economic growth. Prof. Sahara highlighted that downstreaming could create significant added value for farmers and agribusiness actors by processing products according to global market demand. Additionally, it is seen as a vital strategy to support both export growth and domestic food security. The experts emphasized the need for collaboration between the government, private sector, and agricultural businesses to ensure successful downstreaming, which would help drive sustainable economic growth and improve food security in Java. The event aimed to improve the welfare of farmers and increase the competitiveness of regional products in the global market, with downstreaming seen as a long-term solution for economic stability and food security.
Source :
https://rri.co.id/bisnis/1133270/hilirisasi-udang-hingga-beras-perkuat-ekspor-nasional
