West Java Exports Cilembu Sweet Potatoes to Hong Kong 300,000 US Dollars

SUMEDANG - Deputy Governor of West Java, Uu Ruzhanul Ulum, released Cilembu sweet potato exports worth US$300,000 to Hong Kong.

"Today's exports are one of the answers to the world that Indonesia's economy has recovered after COVID-19, especially since West Java has been struggling in the economic sector", said West Java Deputy Governor, Uu Ruzhanul Ulum, quoted by Antara, Sunday, October 9.

Cilembu sweet potato from Sumedang was exported by PT Sinar Agro Cilembu, one of the companies assisted by the West Java Industry and Trade Service and the West Java Food Crops and Horticulture Service.

Apart from sweet potatoes, several commodities such as coffee, ornamental plants and mangosteen, coconut shells, cocoa powder, and other agro commodities are also sent abroad.

"What we have released today, and God willing, will not stop just today. In the future, millions of dollars will come to West Java, which will be received from sales of West Java agricultural and plantation products sold abroad", said Uu.

"Hopefully, West Java will continue to suffer economically, improve its welfare, framed by faith and piety", he continued.

Meanwhile, the Head of the West Java Industry and Trade Office, Iendra Sofyan, said that the release of Cilembu sweet potato exports was an effort by the West Java Provincial Government to take advantage of export opportunities from the MSME sector.

Currently, MSME players who can export only 2 percent are still through high-cost exporter services, thereby reducing the profits of MSME actors.

By continuing to encourage exporting MSMEs, he hopes that MSME players who have advanced classes to export will increase to 3-4 percent later from West Java.

"We want to increase the number of SMEs whose exports are growing and getting bolder", he said.

As for the efforts, said Iendra, Disperindag has so far held training in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade through an export coaching program.

There, curated MSME promoters receive one year of training. This is to finalize the readiness of export actors because exports need a process that is not easy.

According to him, MSMEs that want to export must be able to meet 4K standards in their commodities. The 4K standards are quality, quantity, continuity, and packaging. Plus 1A which is administration.

"It must meet 4K. The quality of each country has its own criteria. Second, quantity. The third is continuity. Fourth, which is small but decisive for these countries, is the packaging. So each country needs to make packaging and the Disperindag prepares something called the Packaging House", he said.

Then in terms of processing, the Disperindag also provides guidance, including with other regional officials such as the Plantation Service and others. Then the financing has been present from Bank BJB.

"This is so that our collaboration from upstream to downstream is complete. We encourage exports to increase", he said.

Iendra said that the value of West Java's non-oil and gas export balance was quite encouraging.

In July 2022, West Java's non-oil and gas export balance reached US$22.53 billion or 13.52 percent of the national export value.

"Alhamdulillah, during the pandemic, we are still number one for exports and we have a surplus until this semester despite the increase in fuel prices. So imports are still smaller than exports", he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the West Java Plantation Service, Jafar Sidik, added that from the plantation sector, the party was pushing for coffee, coco fiber, coconut shells, tea, and chocolate, which currently routinely export one container.