"We hope Indonesian entrepreneurs will push their products in overseas markets because I believe all hotels in the world surely have coffee shops. We hope Indonesia's coffee can top the global coffee industry," Hartarto remarked at the 2022 Indonesia Premium Coffee Expo & Forum opening ceremony, which was broadcast online on Friday.
Coffee is the third-largest agricultural commodity in Indonesia after palm and rubber, he noted.
Coffee contributes around 16.15 percent to the national GDP, and around seven million households are dependent on the coffee industry, he added.
Indonesia's coffee production has also increased by 250 percent in the last ten years, bolstering Indonesia's status as the fourth largest coffee producer after Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia, the coordinating minister said.
"This is our time to close the gap in coffee production. Indonesia has a diverse geographical identity and condition to grow various types of coffee, and every coffee producer, no matter what their brand is, must inform their coffee identity in Indonesia," Hartarto added.
The development of various types of coffee has been bolstered by high demand and interest among Indonesian youth, particularly for premium coffee, he said.
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Consumers are also interested in trying more types of coffees besides Toraja coffee, such as the Luwak (civet) coffee and other premium-priced coffees, the minister added.
Hartarto expressed the hope that the 2022 Indonesia Premium Coffee Expo & Forum, scheduled to take place in a hybrid format from March to June, will bolster the national coffee industry.
It is hoped that Indonesia's coffee entrepreneurs will follow the path of Kopi Kenangan, which has become a publicly-traded company, and Kopiko coffee candy brand that has gained a significant market share in the Philippines, he added.
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Translator: Kuntum Khaira R, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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