TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Trade and Private Sector Assistance (TPSA), in collaboration with the Indonesian Trade Ministry, promoted Gayo coffee to Canada and North America.

“Canada expressed its interest in importing coffee, and the country is looking for specialty coffee like Arabica Gayo,” Said Fauzan Baabud, coordinator of coffee sector project manager at the TPSA, said today, Sept. 14.

According to Said, as the 11th largest importer in the world, there is an increasing trend in coffee consumption in the country.

“Canadians are knowledgeable people and they want to know about products they are buying, including coffee,” he said.

In a bid to realize Gayo coffee exports to Canada, Said had conducted a presentation before the representatives of the Agriculture Agency, the Trade Agency, and cooperatives in Aceh. Said pointed out that the TFO Canada is looking to import quality coffee from producers across the globe.

Data from the TPSA reveals that Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala are the three major coffee exporters for Canada. Indonesia, on the other hand, is the sixth largest coffee exporter for the country.

“Although Indonesia is the sixth largest coffee [exporter for Canada], the price of Indonesian coffee is 37 percent higher than other coffee since it is unique,” Said explained.

To seize the opportunity, the TPSA has partnered with five Gayo Arabica coffee producers from Central Aceh and Bener Meriah to market the coffee in Canada. The TPSA also facilitated the producers to attend the International Specialty Coffee Association Expo in Seattle, the US, in April 2017.

ADI WARSIDI