Ministry of Trade pushes MSMEs to break into Australia through export bootcamp
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia, through the Trade Attaché (Atdag) in Canberra, has launched an export bootcamp aimed at encouraging Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) operators to break into the Australian and Pacific markets.
In a press statement received in Jakarta on Thursday, the Canberra Trade Attaché announced that the programme, entitled "After Sahur Export Bootcamp: 30-Day Programme to Break into Australia & the Pacific", runs from 18 February to 19 March 2026.
The programme forms part of the strengthening of Indonesia's economic diplomacy in the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific region through a capacity-building approach, export literacy enhancement, and optimisation of diaspora networks as market penetration partners.
Indonesia's Trade Attaché in Canberra, Agung Haris Setiawan, affirmed that the primary challenge facing Indonesian MSMEs is not solely product quality, but rather the uneven spread of export literacy and understanding of international procedural stages.
Agung explained that many business operators do not yet comprehensively understand HS Code identification, Australian biosecurity standards, international pricing structures, logistics risk management, or trade contract negotiation strategies.
"Therefore, strengthening export literacy from an early stage is key to ensuring that business operators do not make procedural errors during their first shipments or when building long-term trade contracts," he said.
The Canberra Trade Attaché stated that the "After Sahur Export Bootcamp" is conducted as a marathon over 30 consecutive days using a phased and structured approach.
Each session is designed to be brief yet intensive, held every morning during the month of Ramadan, enabling participants to build their understanding progressively — from transforming a local-to-global mindset, mapping product readiness, utilising trade agreements, analysing Australian and Pacific markets, through to technical aspects.
During the first two days of the programme, more than 300 MSME operators and diaspora members participated via Zoom and the live broadcast on the Canberra Trade Attaché's official YouTube channel.
Given participation trends and the continuity of daily educational content publication over 30 days, the Trade Attaché is targeting the programme to reach a total of 2,000 participants from various regions across Indonesia as well as diaspora networks in the Australia and Pacific region.
Australia is a strategic partner for Indonesia, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of approximately US$1.7 trillion and annual import values exceeding US$280 billion. Total Indonesia-Australia trade in 2024 stood at approximately US$15 billion, with Indonesian exports accounting for around US$5-6 billion.
The Ministry of Trade believes that the scope for market penetration in Australia remains substantial, particularly given the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), which has been implemented since 5 July 2020.
IA-CEPA provides zero per cent tariff access for approximately 99 per cent of Indonesian export tariff lines to Australia, opening significant opportunities for processed food products, footwear, furniture, textiles, halal products, and digital services.
Beyond Australia, New Zealand — with a GDP of approximately US$250 billion — as well as Pacific nations such as Papua New Guinea with annual imports of approximately US$6 billion and Fiji at approximately US$2-3 billion per year, offer prospective export opportunities, particularly for food products, consumer goods, and construction materials.
In a press statement received in Jakarta on Thursday, the Canberra Trade Attaché announced that the programme, entitled "After Sahur Export Bootcamp: 30-Day Programme to Break into Australia & the Pacific", runs from 18 February to 19 March 2026.
The programme forms part of the strengthening of Indonesia's economic diplomacy in the Australia, New Zealand and Pacific region through a capacity-building approach, export literacy enhancement, and optimisation of diaspora networks as market penetration partners.
Indonesia's Trade Attaché in Canberra, Agung Haris Setiawan, affirmed that the primary challenge facing Indonesian MSMEs is not solely product quality, but rather the uneven spread of export literacy and understanding of international procedural stages.
Agung explained that many business operators do not yet comprehensively understand HS Code identification, Australian biosecurity standards, international pricing structures, logistics risk management, or trade contract negotiation strategies.
"Therefore, strengthening export literacy from an early stage is key to ensuring that business operators do not make procedural errors during their first shipments or when building long-term trade contracts," he said.
The Canberra Trade Attaché stated that the "After Sahur Export Bootcamp" is conducted as a marathon over 30 consecutive days using a phased and structured approach.
Each session is designed to be brief yet intensive, held every morning during the month of Ramadan, enabling participants to build their understanding progressively — from transforming a local-to-global mindset, mapping product readiness, utilising trade agreements, analysing Australian and Pacific markets, through to technical aspects.
During the first two days of the programme, more than 300 MSME operators and diaspora members participated via Zoom and the live broadcast on the Canberra Trade Attaché's official YouTube channel.
Given participation trends and the continuity of daily educational content publication over 30 days, the Trade Attaché is targeting the programme to reach a total of 2,000 participants from various regions across Indonesia as well as diaspora networks in the Australia and Pacific region.
Australia is a strategic partner for Indonesia, with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of approximately US$1.7 trillion and annual import values exceeding US$280 billion. Total Indonesia-Australia trade in 2024 stood at approximately US$15 billion, with Indonesian exports accounting for around US$5-6 billion.
The Ministry of Trade believes that the scope for market penetration in Australia remains substantial, particularly given the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), which has been implemented since 5 July 2020.
IA-CEPA provides zero per cent tariff access for approximately 99 per cent of Indonesian export tariff lines to Australia, opening significant opportunities for processed food products, footwear, furniture, textiles, halal products, and digital services.
Beyond Australia, New Zealand — with a GDP of approximately US$250 billion — as well as Pacific nations such as Papua New Guinea with annual imports of approximately US$6 billion and Fiji at approximately US$2-3 billion per year, offer prospective export opportunities, particularly for food products, consumer goods, and construction materials.