REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PADANG -- Indonesia's traditional culinary, Rendang, was an Indonesia's culinary symbol because of its famous abroad, said Vice Minister of Trade Bayu Krisnamurthi.
"Rendang has been famous food on events in Indonesia and international level, so on [the food] asked for about Indonesia's culinary aboard, it is not fried rice or satay anymore but rendang," Bayu said, Wednesday (14/5).
According to him, the prospect of culinary industry was widely open. So this opportunity should be utilized to introduce rendang in international market such as Europe and especially in Netherlands.
"There are 250 restaurants served rendang on their menu. Recently, US asked sambal pecel and sambal Lampung, it is mean Indonesia traditional food become more interested," he said.
The government continues to strive in promotion and introducing Indonesian food to the world through many activities, such as food exhibition in North America recently. In Austerdam, it had an Indonesia night market and rendang was available there. Bayu added next week there is food fair in New York, so rendang will be available there too.
Meanwhile, he added, the government did not need to set a specific price on it. The pricing was up to market mechanism so the culinary business operators can provide the added value of rendang. But stakeholder and local government need to maintain the supply chain to ensure its sustainability.
"If the supply is low, in ten year, the higher demand might not be well covered," he said.