TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Pavilion at the Cafex Expo 2024, held at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center (EIEC) in Cairo, Egypt, from April 18th to 20th, 2024, has recorded potential transactions worth US$15.68 million or around Rp253 billion. These potential transactions stem from food and beverage products and agro-industrial offerings presented by the government.

"The participation of Indonesia in this trade exhibition is crucial to expand the export market share of Indonesian products to the Egyptian and surrounding regions," said the Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt, Lutfi Rauf, in a written statement on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Lutfi mentioned that the largest transactions at the exhibition came from Indonesian coffee bean products, followed by cocoa powder, coconut and its derivatives, and charcoal briquettes.

The Indonesian Pavilion itself featured 11 Indonesian business entities in the food and beverage sector and agro-industrial derivative products. They included PT Global Kepri, CV Morisama South Sulawesi, PT CMN International Indonesia, PT Siraj Badawi Cukup Rupiah (SBCR) Surabaya Food, PT Kans Agro Indonesia, PT Indo Expo Sejahtera, PT Ben Java Nusantara (Under the World Trade Promotion Center), PT Andalus Bangun Global, PT Hadin Metavisi Akademika Hasanuddin University, PT Golden Coffee, and PT Asal Jaya.

Trade Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Cairo, M. Syahran Bhakti S, stated that showcased products included specialty coffee beans, robusta coffee, arabica coffee, cocoa powder, chocolate, seaweed, honey, coconut shell charcoal briquettes, cocopeat, tuna, soy sauce, and sauce. Additionally, there were spices, white butter, mamey sapote fruit, handicrafts, and household products. According to Syahran, the projected transaction value is expected to increase as Indonesian exhibitors continue their negotiation efforts post-exhibition.

"We are still promoting several products such as animal feed, soy sauce, sauce, chili paste, syrup, rock sugar, household appliances, charcoal briquettes, canned tuna, and frozen foods until we secure potential buyers," said Syahran.

According to the Ministry of Trade data, Indonesia's exports to Egypt reached USD 191.6 million from January to February 2024. Meanwhile, Indonesia's imports from Egypt amounted to USD 30 million during the same period. This indicates that Indonesia recorded a trade surplus with Egypt worth USD 161.6 million in the first two months of this year.

DESTY LUTHFIANI

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