Minister of Trade Outlines Strategy to Increase Trade Expo Transaction Target to IDR 293 Trillion

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Minister of Trade (Mendag) Budi Santoso has revealed the government’s strategy to boost the transaction target for the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) 2026 to US$17.5 billion, equivalent to IDR 293.35 trillion (based on an exchange rate of IDR 16,763 per US dollar). This target is approximately 6% higher than the previous year’s target of US$16.5 billion.

The 41st Trade Expo Indonesia will be held from October 14-18, 2026, at ICE BSD. Budi believes that the optimism surrounding the increased transaction target is based on last year’s achievements, which exceeded expectations.

“Last year, we achieved remarkable results. Our target was US$16.5 billion, and we reached transactions of US$22.8 billion. This year, we are increasing our target by 6% to US$17.5 billion. Hopefully, we will exceed the target we have set,” said Budi at the launch of the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia 2026 at the Ministry of Trade Auditorium, Jakarta, Thursday (February 26, 2026).

Budi explained that the increase in the target is also supported by the continued positive performance of national exports amid global trade dynamics. Throughout 2025, Indonesian exports grew by 6.15%, with a trade surplus increasing by 31% and lasting for 68 consecutive months.

To ensure that the transaction target is achieved, the Ministry of Trade is preparing three main stages for the implementation of TEI 2026. The first stage is business matching, facilitated by Indonesian trade representatives abroad before the exhibition.

“This Trade Expo has three stages, so the first stage will be business matching. So, for those of you who are business actors and register today, we will immediately facilitate business matching,” he said.

This business matching involves trade attachés and the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) abroad, so business actors will have potential buyers before arriving at the exhibition venue.

“So, when they come to Indonesia, they just need to meet the buyers,” he said.

This scheme, Budi added, has proven effective in previous TEI events. On the first day of the exhibition, transactions were recorded at almost US$10 billion.

“This happened last year, so on the first day of the trade expo, transactions reached US$9.98 billion. And nearly 137 trade contracts were signed,” said Budi.

The second stage is direct transactions in the exhibition area or fairground from October 14-18, 2026. The third stage involves monitoring and overseeing the realization of agreed-upon trade contracts.

“We will continue to monitor and oversee the trade transactions agreed upon during the fairground,” he said.

“So, we will continue to work together at the Directorate General of PEN, the Ministry of Trade, and our representatives abroad to ensure that the trade contracts run smoothly,” he added.

Meanwhile, Budi emphasized that TEI is also part of the Ministry of Trade’s three main programs. First, securing the domestic market so that the national market is filled with domestic industrial products. Second, expanding export markets through various international trade agreements.

“One of them is how we have many trade agreements that can open up access to our markets abroad,” he said.

He mentioned that several trade agreements have been completed, starting from IEU-CEPA, Indonesia-Canada CEPA, Indonesia-EAEU FTA, Indonesia-Peru CEPA, to Indonesia-Tunisia PTA, which will soon be signed and implemented.

The third stage is encouraging local products to penetrate the global market through the ‘MSMEs Can Export’ scheme.

“Last year, we facilitated about 1,200 MSMEs, and transactions reached US$134.8 million, or more than IDR 2 trillion,” said Budi.

He added that about 70% of the MSMEs facilitated had not exported before. In addition to MSMEs, the Ministry of Trade is also encouraging villages and Merah Putih cooperatives to be directly involved in export activities.

“Not only large companies can export, but MSMEs and Merah Putih Village Cooperatives must also be able to export,” he said.

With these preparations, Budi is optimistic that the 41st Trade Expo Indonesia will record higher transactions than in previous years.

“I am confident that this year’s 41st Trade Expo will provide greater benefits and generate higher transactions because we will prepare better than in previous years,” he concluded.