Indonesia's Coffee Exports Expected to Increase 9.5 Percent

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Ministry of Trade has predicted that Indonesia's coffee exports will increase by 9.5 percent this year from last year's US$1.17 billion.

"As the world's third biggest coffee producer after Brazil and Vietnam, Indonesia must boost its exports. We hope Indonesia's coffee exports will increase by about 9.5-10.5 percent," Director General for National Export Development (PEN) Nus Nuzulia Ishak said in a press statement here over the weekend.

The directorate general of national export development has facilitated Indonesian coffee exporters during the Tea & Coffee China exhibition in Shanghai, China, on November 12-14.

"Indonesia's coffee exports to China over the past five years have shown an upward trend by about 82.6 percent. Chinese consumers have changed their tea drinking life style to drinking coffee. We see this as an opportunity to expand coffee market," the director general said.

The Tea & Coffee China exhibition is part of that country's Food and Hospitality China (FHC) 2014, which was attended by 1,820 exhibitors of 70 countries and was visited by 26,188 visitors.

Indonesia's coffee was exhibited in two pavilions where the ministry of trade facilitated a 90-sq m pavilion and the ministry of industry provided another 40-sq m.

During the exhibition, the value of Indonesian coffee transactions stood at US$1.1 million for green bean coffee and roasted bean coffee of the Arabica Gayo and Arabica Mandailing types.

China is the second biggest importer of Indonesia's coffee. In Shanghai and surrounding there are 4,000 cafes and 200 coffee roasting companies with an annul need for coffee of 20,000 tons. (WDY)