NTB Provincial Government Strengthens Trade Cooperation with West Java
The Mataram (ANTARA) — West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Provincial Government is strengthening cooperation with the West Java Provincial Government in food commodity trade to maintain price stability, ensure the smooth distribution of essential goods and bolster food security between regions.
The cooperation was marked by the signing of an agreement covering food commodity supplies, human resource capacity-building, and the exchange of data and technology in the livestock sector.
“Hopefully, West Java and West Nusa Tenggara can share with one another and learn together how to manage regional inflation,” NTB Deputy Governor Indah Dhamayanti Putri said in Mataram on Wednesday.
Indah said interregional cooperation was a strategic step towards strengthening food supplies while keeping prices affordable for the public.
She said NTB and West Java had complementary potential to develop food commodity trade. West Java has considerable potential in terms of its market, economic growth, tourism and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), while NTB has livestock commodities that can help meet market demand in various parts of Indonesia.
One opportunity for cooperation between the two provinces is meeting West Java’s demand for sacrificial animals and other livestock commodities from NTB.
“Strengthening these trade ties is expected to provide NTB livestock farmers with market certainty while supporting supplies for people in the destination region,” Indah said.
Indah said economic ties between the provinces should be developed not only through commodity trade, but also through investment that can create added value and open up new business opportunities.
“We hope that businesses that have reached capacity in West Java will be encouraged to invest in West Nusa Tenggara,” she said.
Meanwhile, West Java Deputy Governor Erwan Setiawan said the visit to NTB provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience in maintaining price stability and strengthening coordination on inflation control.
He stressed that inflation control should not focus solely on statistical figures, but must also take into account the availability of goods, smooth distribution, affordability and the sustainability of farmers’ and livestock breeders’ businesses.
West Java recorded realised investment of Rp300 trillion in 2025. That experience could inform knowledge-sharing with NTB as it works to strengthen its investment climate and develop the regional economy.
Erwan said he wanted the agreement between the provinces to be followed up with clear, measurable programmes, particularly to strengthen strategic commodity supply chains.
“The cooperation must lead to concrete and measurable follow-up. It must not stop at an agreement document or merely an MoU; we should be able to move on to strengthening other strategic commodities,” he said.