LPEI Encourages Food MSMEs To Play The Role Of Gastrodiplomacy To Increase Exports

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI) supports the development of MSMEs in the food sector to increase exports significantly.

LPEI Director of Institutional Relations Chesna F. Anwar said that the culinary industry is considered to be able to play an important role by optimizing the gastrodiplomacy approach in foreign trade.

"We can learn from Thai gastrodiplomacy, trade diplomacy whose aim is not only to promote a country's special cuisine abroad, but also to increase the attractiveness of cultural values, and to encourage economic growth through food exports and the tourism sector," he said in a press statement quoted on Friday, March 25.

According to Chesna, Indonesia has a great opportunity to dominate world food commodities, especially spices. Based on data processed by the Indonesia Eximbank (IEB) Institute, in 2021 there will be 487 Indonesian restaurants spread throughout the world. In addition, Indonesia ranks fifth as a world spice exporting country with a value of US$801 million.

"Indonesia is known as a country rich in spices, flavorful spices and creative in processing various dishes, it has great potential in developing the culinary industry," he said.

For example, Chesna explained that fried rice has been designated by UNESCO as one of Indonesia's cultural heritages. However, when asked abroad, he continued, not many people know that the processed products are actually Indonesian.

"Therefore, LPEI supports the ISUTW program as an Indonesian gastrodiplomacy approach to foreign countries that will also increase the attractiveness of the global market, strengthen the country's branding, and promote Indonesian cultural identity in the world," he said.

For information, the export value of the culinary industry until the third quarter of 2021 is 32.51 billion US dollars, an increase of 52 percent compared to the 2020 period.

"Collaboration and synergy between stakeholders to advance the Indonesian culinary industry will encourage the achievement of targets and make Indonesian local food global as part of the country's gastrodiplomacy," concluded Chesna.