The shipment was sent off by director general for national export development at the Trade Ministry, Didi Sumedi, and the president director of PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (PT PPI), Nina Sulistyowati.
"The coffee export to Egypt is the result of intensive collaboration between PT PPI and local coffee farmers. The Trade Ministry is encouraging synergy among farmers, exporters, and the government to assist our farmer commodities reaching the wider international market, particularly for our agriculture product," Sumedi said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The volume of coffee exports will be increased to 200 tons for the remaining months of this year, he informed adding, the exported coffee is of the Robusta variety that is grown in Lampung and South Sumatra regions.
"Collaboration is key to winning the global market. The Trade Ministry will also support and be attentive to potential buyers of our product," Sumedi said.
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He lauded national trading companies, including PT PPI, that have taken the initiative to boost the volume of national exports.
Meanwhile, PT PPI president director Sulistyowati said the coffee exports would encourage national economic development by introducing Indonesia's commodity with export potential to cater to global coffee demand.
"The coffee importers in Egypt plan to increase their coffee order by six tons from next year," she confirmed.
The current shipment has restarted the exports of coffee, which were launched in 2018 and halted in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout, she added.
According to Ambassador of Indonesia to Egypt, Lutfi Rauf, Indonesia is the top coffee exporter to Egypt, accounting for around 54 percent of all imported coffee in the country.
"Indonesia also has the potential to export other commodities to Egypt, such as nutmeg, galangal, cinnamon, cardamom, and fishery commodities," he added.
The value of Indonesia's coffee exports reached US$400.96 million in January-July 2021 period, with major export destinations being the United States (24 percent), Egypt (11 percent), Japan (9 percent), Malaysia (7 percent), and Italy (6 percent).
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Translator: Sella PG, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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