Indonesia exported US$1.2 million worth of coffee to Egypt

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Trading Company (PT PPI) on Wednesday sent 100 tons of coffee worth US$1.2 million to Egypt.

The shipment was departed by the Director General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, Didi Sumedi, and the Main Director of the Indonesian Trading Company (PT PPI), Nina Sulistyowati.

“Coffee exports to Egypt are the result of intensive cooperation between PT PPI and local coffee farmers. The Ministry of Trade encourages synergies between farmers, exporters and the government to help our farmers’ commodities reach a wider international market, especially for our agricultural products. ,” said Sumedi in Jakarta, Wednesday.

The volume of coffee exports will increase to 200 tons for the remaining months of this year, he added, the exported coffee is the Robusta variety grown in the Lampung and South Sumatra regions.

“Collaboration is the key to win the global market. The Ministry of Trade will also support and pay attention to potential buyers of our products,” said Sumedi.

He appreciated the national trading companies, including PT PPI, which took the initiative to boost the national export volume.

Meanwhile, President Director of PT PPI Sulistyowati said coffee exports would boost national economic development by introducing Indonesian commodities that have export potential to meet world coffee demand.

“Coffee importers in Egypt plan to add six tons of coffee orders starting next year,” he said.

Shipments have now restarted coffee exports, which were launched in 2018 and halted in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic collapse, he added.

According to the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt, Lutfi Rauf, Indonesia is the largest coffee exporter to Egypt, accounting for around 54 percent of all coffee imports 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 the January-July 2021 period, with the main export destination countries being the United States (24 percent), Egypt (11 percent), Japan (9 percent), Malaysia (7 percent), and Italy . (6 percent).