Trade Ministry Identifies 2,616 Villages with Export Potential

The Ministry of Trade has identified 2,616 villages across various regions as part of the ‘Desa Bisa Ekspor’ (Villages Can Export) programme, aiming to expand the base of national exporters and help regional flagship products penetrate international markets. Ari Satria, Director of Export Development for Services and Creative Products at the ministry, stated that the programme is a government effort to build an export ecosystem from the regions by mapping each village’s potential. “Because primary products are largely produced in villages, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Villages on the Desa Bisa Ekspor initiative,” Ari said in Jakarta on Sunday. He explained that the identified villages are clustered based on their level of export readiness, allowing for tailored assistance. “So far, we have identified 2,616 villages across Indonesia. We cluster them into those that are truly ready to export and those that have export potential, meaning their products are promising but need further development,” he said. In addition to mapping, the ministry is facilitating small and medium enterprises (SMEs) so they do not have to deal directly with foreign buyers in the initial stages. The government connects them with aggregators or off-takers who can assist with product development and marketing. The ministry is also strengthening mentoring for SMEs to help them meet the various export requirements imposed by destination countries. According to Ari, business actors need to understand various provisions, from food safety certification and halal certificates to other standards required by each destination country. He assessed that this approach can boost the confidence of SME players while strengthening product readiness before entering the export market. The government hopes that more villages will be able to develop their flagship commodities into value-added export products, allowing the benefits of international trade to be felt more widely by communities in the regions.