Several local commodities from the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province have been exploring international markets in various countries, with pearls being the latest commodity to penetrate markets in 10 nations. According to export data from January to December 2023, pearls secured the top position in non-mining exports, reaching countries such as Japan, China, Hong Kong, Australia, Thailand, India, UAE, France, the US, and Vietnam. Baiq Nelly Yuniarti, the Head of the Department of Trade (Disdag) of NTB Province, revealed this achievement on January 19, 2024. Despite pearls being widely marketed globally, Nelly expressed concern about the diminishing number of pearl cultivators in NTB, with only eight companies remaining. Apart from pearls, agricultural, plantation, and forestry products have also found markets abroad, including Mangosteen, Vanilla, Ginger, Pineapple, Rambutan, Salak, and more. Recently, samples of jackfruit dodol, sambal (chili paste), and Meraka welcome were sent to New Zealand, and there is an increasing demand from local entrepreneurs. However, there are challenges for agricultural and plantation commodities categorized as fruits, as they are seasonal, making it difficult to export throughout the year even if buyers request regular shipments.

Nelly highlighted the seasonal nature of the fruits as a constraint and communicated the challenge to the Department of Agriculture. For instance, if a buyer requests mangosteen, it can only be shipped during its season. Once that period ends, additional requests cannot be fulfilled, posing a challenge for commodities that are not seasonally bound, similar to chili. Additionally, organic vanilla products have become a new favorite for marketing. While vanilla was traditionally exported in dried form, it is now exported in processed forms such as vanilla powder, extract, and vanilla oil. Nelly acknowledged that many NTB commodities have entered the national market but emphasized the need to expand further. The existence of these products in the market signals an opportunity for growth, with the challenge lying in expanding the scale of these commodities in both national and international markets.

Source: https://ntbsatu.com/2024/01/21/mutiara-dari-ntb-tembus-pasar-internasional-di-10-negara.html