InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Ministry of Trade keeps expanding the trade to Middle East, namely Saudi Arabia. Through General Directorate of National Export Development (NED), Ministry of Trade did trade mission to Saudi Arabia on 28 November—1 December 2018. The promotion was in synergy with other ministries, institutions, Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) Jeddah, and General Consulate of Indonesia in Jeddah and succeeded to make potential transaction about US$ 14,02 million or Rp 200 billion.
In the trade mission, delegations from Indonesia consisted of 90 participants from ministries, institutions, regional governments, private companies from crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivative, food and drink, tuna, bus, writing tools, sheep, film, moslem fashion, spices, coffee, aloes wood, and therapy aroma.
“It is clear that the President told to do promotion by taking the positive images from Indonesia. So Ministry of Trade tried its best to increase the access together with the ministries, institution, and other stakeholders, namely General Consulate of Indonesia in Jeddah,” General Director of NED, Arlinda said in the official statement to InfoSAWIT recently.
Arlinda also explained that the trade mission was the chance for the businessmen (stakeholders) from Indonesia to make business network overseas. One thing to do was by business forum that was in cooperation among Ministry of Trade and General Consulate in Jeddah and ITPC Jeddah.
The business forum was attended by more than 250 businessmen from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. The speakers in the business forum were Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo;Vice Head of Jeddah Chambers and Industries, Syia Bassam Al Bassam; importer from Jeddah, Mohammad Bawazier;Chairman of Indonesian Palm Oil Association (IPOA), Joko Supriyono;Executive Director of GIMNI, Sahat Sinaga; and academy fromUniversitas Gajah Mada (UGM), Prof. Sri Rahardjo.
Besides the business forum, in the trade mission, there was business matching which met the Indonesian businessmen with Saudi Arabia businessmen. In that occasion, there was one on one business matchingsession. This was to meet potential buyers from Saudi Arabia to make international network.
A Glance of Indonesia – Saudi Arabia Trade
The total trade between the two countries in 2017 reached US$ 4,54 billion within the export reaching US$ 1,37 billion and import reaching US$ 3,16 billion. In the same year, Indonesia got deficit trade reaching US$ 1,78 billion within deficit in oil and gas reaching US$ 2,35 billion and surplus of non-oil and gas reaching US$ 569,62 million.
The total trade between both countries in January —September 2018 reached US$ 4,42 billion within the export reaching US$ 921,69 million and the import reaching USD 3,5 billion. The main exported products from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia were vehicles, crude palm oil and its derivative, paper, tuna, and charcoal. (T2)
