Govt Accelerates Cocoa Industry Downstreaming Through Product Export

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, is encouraging strengthening the downstream cocoa industry through expansion into international markets. He emphasized that exports of processed products to France serve as concrete evidence of the high value added of the national manufacturing sector.

Minister Agus said that this inaugural shipment is a strategic step to improve market access for national processed food products. “This also demonstrates that the national processing industry is capable of producing high-value-added and highly competitive products in the global market,” said Minister Agus in Jakarta on Monday, April 20, 2026.

The government aims to increase the number of businesses capable of transforming raw materials into downstream products of economic value. Success in penetrating export markets will have a significant impact on the manufacturing sector's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

Minister Agus hopes that the achievements of PT Adore Rempah Indonesia (Adore) will serve as an inspiration for other agro-industry players in Indonesia. He added that product innovation and expanding marketing networks into international markets are key to addressing current global economic challenges.

“We are encouraging more national industries to penetrate export markets through value-added downstream products, thereby making a greater contribution to national economic growth,” said Minister Agus.

Director of the Beverage, Tobacco Products, and Refreshment Ingredients Industry, Merrijantij Punguan Pintaria, emphasized that strengthening downstreaming is crucial. She noted that cocoa butter exports to Europe demonstrate that Indonesia’s industrial standards already meet international market requirements.

Merrijantij said that current government policies are highly focused on increasing the value-added of domestic commodities. According to her, the increasingly robust capabilities of the cocoa processing industry will solidify Indonesia’s position as a leading exporter of processed chocolate products.

“These exports of cocoa butter and white chocolate to the French market demonstrate that Indonesia’s cocoa processing industry is increasingly capable of producing high-value-added products. This aligns with the government’s policy of accelerating downstream processing to boost domestic value addition,” said Merrijantij.

Strengthening the downstream sector is expected to create a sustainable supply chain and provide economic benefits for upstream farmers. Collaboration between manufacturers and local cocoa farmers must continue to be strengthened to ensure the quality of the raw materials produced.

The government continues to strive to create a healthy industrial ecosystem so that economic benefits can be felt equally by all parties. She added that the welfare of cocoa farmers is a primary target in implementing this downstream processing industry program.

“We continue to promote integration between the upstream and downstream sectors to create a sustainable supply chain, thereby providing broader economic benefits, including improved welfare for cocoa farmers,” said Merrijantij. (Gusti Panji/Bambang MBKA)