REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Trade Ministry reported here on Friday that food and beverage exports to the United States had increased by 18.3 percent to US$1.4 billion in 2017. Following the positive trend, the Indonesian government will continue to increase the figure by participating in the Natural Product Expo West (NPEW) 2018 in California, Antonius A. Budiman, head of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC), the Los Angeles Office, stated.

"Our participation in the NPEW 2018 is aligned with the growth of organic food consumers in the United States. The ITPC Los Angeles Office will feature several producers and distributors at this exhibition," Budiman noted in a written statement received by Antara in Jakarta, Friday.

Some products to be showcased at the expo, include green tea, black tea, and Lebak oolong tea that has obtained organic certification from the IMO, Switzerland. Apart from tea, Indonesian distributors will feature sweet potato chips and palm sugar at the expo.

Meanwhile, the ITPC Los Angeles Office will showcase several innovative products, such as vegan jerky made from cassava and torch ginger chili that is largely consumed in Bali.

Indonesian food and beverage exports, mainly for condiment products, have also increased by 22.23 percent to reach $3 million last year.

Indonesia has ranked fourth as the largest exporter of palm sugar to the United States. In 2017, the exports of palm sugar had increased by 13.96 percent to $30 million. The exports of chips also registered an increase of 21 percent to $618 thousand in 2017.

However, tea exports have declined by 19 percent to $7.10 million in 2017, as compared to $8.90 million recorded in 2016.

Hence, the ITPC has sought to boost tea exports by highlighting Indonesian premium tea at the World Tea Export in Las Vegas in June this year.

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