Malaysia Expresses Interest in Gayo Coffee

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of businesspersons from Pinang Island in Malaysia have expressed interest in Gayo coffee and are looking to import the commodity to the country.

The industrialists wish to establish cooperation with the administration of Aceh and local business players to import the product to Malaysia.

"We hope to establish cooperation with the administration and local businesspersons so we can import Gayo coffee to Malaysia. We are aware of how well-known this coffee is worldwide," said a legislative member of Pinang Island, Muhammad Farid Saad, as quoted by Antara News.

Moreover, a delegation of Malaysian businesspersons has met with the administration of Aceh to discuss the investment.

Saad noted that several coffee companies in Pinang Islands were interested to directly buy the coffee produced by farmers in Bener Meriah district, Central Aceh, and Gayo Lues.

One of the companies interested in Gayo coffee is Hang Tuah Coffee, the largest coffee producer in Malaysia, Saad said.

"Hang Tuah has a permit from the Pinang Island Kingdom to import 1,000 tons of coffee per year. However, we only export 80 tons of coffee per year," he stated.

In keeping with this, the administration of Aceh will soon sign an agreement with the coffee company on the export-import deal.

Furthermore, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on seaport was signed between Pinang Island businessman Muhammad Sabre Bin Abdullah from Orbit Shipping Sdn. Bhd., and Indonesian businessman T Zulkiram Hanafiah from Pandu Buana Nusantara.

"We hope the seaports in Aceh will be integrated with the ones in Pinang Island in accordance with the MoU," Saad remarked.

ANTARA NEWS