Deputy Trade Minister: Indonesian processed foods attract Chinese market

Shanghai (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia (Wamendag) Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri said Indonesian processed foods are starting to be in demand in China, including swiftlet nests, seaweed products, and coffee.

“We know that one of the largest markets for Indonesian swiftlet nests is China. Then, yesterday at SIAL 2026 you could see many processed food products that are clearly in high demand by the market in China,” Roro said at the Indonesia–China Business Forum in Shanghai on Tuesday.

SIAL 2026 is the Salon International de l’Alimentation 2026, one of the three largest food fairs in the world, being held in Shanghai from 18-20 May 2026. The fair was attended by more than 5,000 participants from 75 countries and showcased 350,000 products.

The Indonesia–China Business Forum in Shanghai is an event that brings together around 30 Indonesian and Chinese business players in the food and beverage and agricultural products sectors.

“Today is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, to learn about other products that can enter and penetrate the Chinese market; because we know that China is one of the world’s biggest importers of agricultural and processed food products, with demand continuing to rise,” Roro said.

“Thus, coffee is something we understand China loves, and we are grateful to be able to showcase many coffee products that are very creative, both in packaging and high quality. I also hope we can learn from each other about processed food products in today’s business forum,” added Roro.

The Ministry of Trade will strive to facilitate the enhancement of Indonesia–China trade relations through trade agreements and their implementation.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Indonesia’s total exports in 2025 reached 282.91 billion US dollars, or grew by 6.15 percent compared with 2024. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s exports for January–March 2026 were recorded at 61.30 billion US dollars, or a positive growth of around 4.15 percent over the last five years.

Roro also encouraged Chinese business actors to participate in Trade Expo Indonesia, which this year will be held from 15–19 October 2026 in South Tangerang.

“Trade Expo Indonesia last year successfully gathered around 8,000 buyers from 130 countries, and 605 of those buyers came from China. So I invite all our Chinese partners to also attend the Trade Expo later,” she said.