REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- MEDAN -- Indonesia has 19 excellent and potential export commodities when the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) comes into effect in 2015.

"We must face the AEC with high spirits since Indonesia has 19 excellent and potential export commodities in the ASEAN market," Director of Bilateral Cooperation of the Directorate General of International Trade at the Trade Ministry Syamsul Bahri Siregar stated here on Tuesday (21/10).

The 19 commodities comprise nine export commodities and 10 potential export commodities. The nine export commodities are textiles and textile products, electronics, rubber, forestry products, footwear, automotive products, shrimp, cacao, and coffee.

The potential export commodities encompass leather and leather products, medical devices and instruments, spices, processed foods, essential oils, fish and fishery products, handicraft goods, jewelry, bamboo, and stationary apart from paper.

"We believe that the implementation of the AEC will increase the value of Indonesia's excellent and potential export commodities," he pointed out.

The current and potential export commodities can also attract foreign investors to develop them, he affirmed.

"We realize that we need to maintain and improve the competitiveness of the commodities to win the competition, and the government believes that the local businessmen will be able to do so," he said.

Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) of the North Sumatra chapter Ivan Iskandar Batubara stated that the local businessmen must be prepared to face the AEC.

Therefore, he remarked that the government must improve the poor infrastructure, which can hinder the local businessmen from competing in the ASEAN market.

Poor infrastructure such as damaged roads and gas and electrical power shortages will result in high production costs, he stated.

"If the production costs are high, then we will find it hard to compete with foreign rivals," he added.

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