Assistant of economic affairs and development at the Central Kalimantan Regional Secretariat, Leonard S. Ampung, said that the regional government is disseminating information about exports to nontraditional countries.
It is conducting the effort through one of its offices, the Trade and Industry Office, Ampung informed in Palangka Raya on Friday.
"This is as one of the efforts to (conduct) national economic recovery, and Indonesia, including Central Kalimantan, is a manufacturer of many highly valuable products," he said.
Thus, it has become necessary to make efforts to expand to new markets in places other than the countries that already have a trade partnership with Indonesia.
According to data on Central Kalimantan’s foreign trade, coal and mineral have ranked the highest, along with crude palm oil and its derivatives, as the top export products in the past five years, Ampung said.
Related news: Exports rise due to open access to non-traditional markets: Apindo
Each year, Central Kalimantan has made a significant positive contribution to the country in terms of foreign exchange generation. This is evident from Central Kalimantan's foreign trade records, which have reflected a surplus of US$1.5 billion in the past five years.
Head of the Central Kalimantan Trade and Industry Office, Aster Bonawaty, said that the nontraditional countries in question include Middle Eastern countries, or even, countries in Africa.
“So, information dissemination about nontraditional countries will be (pushed towards) SMEs in Central Kalimantan whose products are export-oriented so that market development can be done (in the best way possible)," she informed.
She said that besides natural resource products, such as coal and minerals, CPO and its derivatives, the office is also promoting the development and improvement of other products, such as chopsticks and agarwood, among others, in order to enable their exports.
Related news: Trade Ministry consistent in expanding non-traditional export markets
Related news: Indonesia`s exports to non-traditional markets begin to increase
Translator: M Arif Hidayat, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
