Agricom.id, JAKARTA — Minister of Trade, Agus Suparmanto emphasized that his ministry keeps increasing the processed food export to increase the trade exchange in the second quarter of 2020 in the corona virus (Covid-19) pandemic. He told that when speaking in the webinar, within the theme “Terobosan Meningkatkan Ekspor Pangan Olahan Indonesia” in Jakarta, Monday (15/6/2020).

It is the cooperation between Ministry of Trade through General Directorate of Export Development and Gabungan Pengusaha Makanan dan Minuman Indonesia (GAPPMI). The webinar was facilitated by General Director of National Export Development and Chairman of GAPMMI, Adhi Lukman. It was joined by about 300 participants that represented the trade of Indonesia in 32 countries, the coordinators, the members of GAPMMI, and diaspora of the partners.

“Covid-19 pandemic has influenced the trade in many countries. But this would not stop the trade of Indonesia in the second quarter of 2020, namely in the processed food to exports. It is hoped that every side to play its role to make the breakthrough to increase the processed food products from Indonesia in the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

He also said that his ministry has published strategic policies to encourage the trade of Indonesia in the new normality. The policies are to increase the easiness and acceleration of service to publish surat keterangan asal (SKA) of the export products by implementing affixed signature and stamp; to implement the automatic autentification in the export and import license process for the traders that have good reputation; to increase and accelerate the export – import service and to monitor the national logistic ecosystem (NLE).

The other strategies are to increase the facility and export information service, to promote the export and trace the business matching virtually both executed by ministry of trade and those which are in partnership with some institution and trade partners so that the new normality takes place, the stakeholders are ready to advantage the export chance; and to propose the incentive, such as, insurance, or export credit or other funding from the banks to the exporters that are hit by Covid-19.

He continued that to support the policies, the trade representatives’ roles are strategic in the transition era or new normality, such as, to dig the latest information about the situation in the export goal countries.

He also thought that the trade representative should always communicate with the related ministry/instance in the accredited countries, associations, and the stakeholders to give the month report together with the transaction result.

“Then the process food stakeholders in Indonesia get the market access by understanding thee regulations or new conditions in the transition era knowing that some countries start opening the public facilities, economic centers and the change should be advantaged as maximal as they could,” he said.

General Director Kasan said that the social distancing or regional quarantine is the challenge for the stakeholders in Indonesia. But do not let this shrink the spirits of the stakeholders to export and open the new countries knowing that the world still needs food and drink products, such as, to increase the immunity and health.

“The webinar is hoped to increase the synergy of the trade representative and the stakeholders to create the export breakthrough of the processed food in Indonesia. This could be continued by combining the process food stakeholders and the buyers in each accredited countries,” Kasan said.

Chairman of GAPMMI, Adhi Lukman told that to compete in the global markets, Indonesia should strengthen the industries nationally namely the fast recovery after Covid-19, for instance, by increasing the acceleration to realize Indonesia 4.0, which means that the industries would have additional values as the locomotive of economic progress; increasing the available materials as part of value supply globally (Industrial Act No. 3 / 2014); reviewing the regulation to support industrialization; making Indonesia as the hub research center globally in food and drink industries.

The Processed Food Products Increased 7,9 Percent

The processed food exports in the Covid-19 pandemic are good enough. In January –April 2020, the exports reached USD 1,32 billion or increased 7,9 percent compared to the same period in last year. They were processed food (USD 139,83 million), processed crustacean shrimp (USD 137,15 million), processed fish (USD 129,16 million), processed crustacean crab (USD 106,1 million), the essence and concentrate of coffee (USD 104,89 juta).

The main export countries for the products in the period were the United States of America reaching USD 293,6 million (within 22,11 percent of market), Philippine reaching USD 161,4 million (12,15 percent), Malaysia reaching USD 101,6 million (7,65 percent), Singapore reaching USD 74,9 million (5,64 percent), and Japan reaching USD 71,9 million (5,41 percent). (A2)