The Ministry of Trade's Director-General of National Export Development, Didi Sumedi, anticipates that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will emerge as a pivotal hub for bolstering Indonesia's halal industry exports. This strategic vision was shared during the Retail Business Forum in Jakarta. Indonesia's Ministry of Trade has already established a presence in the UAE, envisioning it as a hub for exporting Indonesian halal products to the Middle East and Africa. An existing comprehensive economic partnership agreement, the Indonesia-United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IUAE CEPA), encompasses various technical aspects. To enhance halal product exports further, the Ministry of Trade is engaging in foreign exhibitions, trade missions, and collaborating with the National Committee for Sharia Economy and Finance (KNEKS) to support halal product exporters through market access, incubation, financing, and more.
Moreover, the Retail Business Forum seeks to curb the import of foreign products and popularize locally-made goods among Indonesian consumers. Its mission is to slow the importation of foreign products while increasing awareness of the quality of domestic goods. The forum aims to unite halal cosmetic businesses with retailers to address the trade deficit in this industry. Notably, data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reveals that imports of cosmetics, essential oils, and perfumery products exceeded exports in 2022, with imports reaching USD 1.2 billion compared to exports at USD 826.7 million for the same year.
