Bengkulu ships 19.2 tons of coffee directly to Italy
“Today marks an important and historic step for Bengkulu Province. This inaugural export is concrete proof that our leading regional commodity has quality, potential, and strategic value,” Bengkulu Vice Governor Mian said in Kepahiang on Monday.
According to Mian, the shipment provides momentum to strengthen the province’s position as a coffee-producing region capable of exporting directly to global markets.
Previously, coffee produced in Bengkulu was often attributed to neighboring provinces because it was transported through ports in other regions before being exported under their names.
The direct shipment to Italy, Mian said, provides Bengkulu with an opportunity to strengthen its identity as both a coffee producer and direct exporter. He emphasized that the export milestone must be followed by a sustainable supply of raw materials so that market expansion goes beyond a single shipment.
The local government, Bank Indonesia, and other stakeholders must work together to ensure sustainable coffee production.
“We must sustain this breakthrough from upstream to downstream. We must avoid a situation in which an announcement is made, only for production to decline afterward,” Mian added.
Head of the Bank Indonesia Representative Office in Bengkulu Province Wahyu Yuwana Hidayat said expanding export capacity was directly linked to strengthening the regional economy.
“Praise be to God, for the first time in the history of Bengkulu Province, today marks a milestone as we can export coffee directly from Bengkulu. Furthermore, this initial shipment is going directly to Europe, specifically Italy,” Wahyu said.
He expressed hope that the inaugural export would not be a one-off shipment but would develop into a regular export activity, enabling international markets to absorb more of Bengkulu’s coffee production.
Wahyu said the expansion of export markets and strengthening the identity of Bengkulu coffee are expected to generate greater added value for the commodity while improving the welfare of farmers, who are at the heart of the regional coffee supply chain.
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Translator: Bayu Prasetyo