Indonesia’s Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced that the government will prioritize downstreaming of plantation commodities such as cocoa, pepper, cashew, gambier, and coconut to increase export value and create millions of new jobs. He emphasized coconut as a key strategic commodity, citing its potential to generate up to USD 76.6 billion in foreign exchange if processed into high-value derivatives like coconut milk rather than exported raw.
Amran also highlighted Indonesia’s dominance in the global gambier market, supplying 80% of global demand. He stated that downstreaming gambier could significantly expand its industrial applications—including ink, health products, and cosmetics. The government also aims to intensify palm oil downstreaming,transforming fresh fruit bunches into FAME (biofuel), cooking oil, and margarine, turning Indonesia into a major player not just in raw exports, but in renewable energy and value-added food products.
