Agricom.id, TAIPEI— In the pandemic of corona virus (Covid-19), Ministry of Trade through Kantor Dagang dan Ekonomi Indonesia in Taipei (KDEI Taipei) keeps doing the export transaction of the products from Indonesia in  Taiwan. This time, KDEI Taipei did virtual business matching, such as, the spices that was done in Indonesia Exhibition Center, Taipei, Tuesday (24/3/2020). The activity potentially made transaction reaching US$ 650 thousand or Rp 9,6 billion.

The event involved seven exporter companies of Indonesia, they were,  CV Lima Rempah, CV Rasdi & Co, PT Berkah Lada, PT Billitons Rempah Indonesia, PT Latransa, Global Anugrah Kuasa, and Star Laboratories. The exporters and the food process made of spices, the trade industries, and the shopping centers in Indonesia that joined the event were enthusiastic to increase the exports and so did the importers in Taiwan.

“Covid-19 pandemic forces us to be more creative. The business matching should not be face to face but online. The event initiated by KDEI Taipei should be more intense and it is planned that in this year, there would be four times. This is the creative and efficient breakthrough for advantaging the digital technology. The most important thing is that it is useful for the small business and the people,” Minister of Trade, Agus Suparmanto said in Jakarta, as in the official written statement to Agricom.id.

General Director in duty of National Export Development, Ministry of Trade, Kasan also said that the online business matching is one strategy to optimize the potential exports. This had raised the potential transaction up to USD 650 thousand or Rp 9,6 billion, between CV. Lima Rempah and one importer company in Taiwan.

“But there are bigger potential transaction to other products, such as, cinnamon, turmeric, and others that the participants of the business matching would follow up in the next,” he said.

Meanwhile, Head of KDEI Taipei, Didi Sumedi explained that the spices of Indonesia and the other products in Taiwan need to be maintained by intensifying the same activities. Some online business matching would be done in the next months with Taiwan. KDEI Taipei in 2020 planned to make four times of online business matching in this short, on 9 July 2020.

“In the second business matching, the commodity to promote would be the food products. This is proposed by (Taiwan Chamber of Commerce/ROCCOC)," Didi said.

He also mentioned that one important thing is the communication between KDEI Taipei and the association of the stakeholders in Taiwan and should be optimized. “So that the promotion and business matching done by KDEI Taipei run effectively and efficiently based on the demand-driven principles," he said.

According to the data of Taiwan Customs in 2019, Indonesia was the main spice supplier to Taiwan reaching about US$ 7,10 million and the markets reaching 24,42% of the total imported spices in Taiwan. The numbers increased 20,33 percent compared to those in the previous year which reached US$ 5,87 million. The spices of Indonesia tightly compete with the products from China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and India.

In 2020, the spice exports from Indonesia to Taiwan are still positive. Based on the Taiwan Customs in January—March 2020, Taiwan imported spices from Indonesia reaching up to US$ 1,58 million or increased 25,57% compared to the same period in last year. The main competitors of Indonesia were the same like the previous years, such as, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and India. (A2)