Jembrana, Bali (ANTARA) - Trade Minister Budi Santoso stated that 700 villages in Indonesia are ready to export their products to several countries.

“We have identified thousands of villages with export potential. Of those, 700 are now ready to export,” he said at a send-off ceremony for the export of fermented cacao from Jembrana District, Bali, to France on Tuesday.

To encourage exports from villages, the government launched the Desa BISA Ekspor (Villages Can Export) program.

The initiative is a collaboration between the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI).

Santoso explained that his ministry is connecting export-ready villages with international buyers through trade representatives in 33 countries.

For villages that are not yet ready despite having potential, the Ministry of Trade is providing training, product design mentoring, and standardization support. He stressed that downstreaming village products is necessary to add value and improve competitiveness in export markets.

“We will help villages enter the market for finished products, although this will be done in stages,” he remarked.

On the same occasion, Deputy Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Ahmad Riza Patria highlighted the vast potential of Indonesian villages in agriculture, cultivation, and innovative products.

He affirmed that the government will continue to support villages, including through financing if needed.

“Village products must be high quality, produced in sufficient quantity, and delivered quickly to the market. This will create jobs, strengthen the village economy, and improve community welfare,” he said.

Jembrana District Head I Made Kembang Hartawan added that the Desa BISA Ekspor program is a strategic step to boost the local economy.

“With strong synergy between the central government, regional government, and the private sector, we hope Jembrana can become a pioneer exporting village with strong global competitiveness,” he stated.

In Jembrana, the program was launched on Tuesday, involving 13 villages and 609 farmers.



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