Indonesian Trade Attaché Encourages Students to Become Future Exporters

RRI.CO.ID, Canberra - Indonesian Trade Attaché in Canberra, Agung Haris Setiawan, encouraged Indonesian students in Australia to explore opportunities as future exporters, buyers, distributors, and connectors for Indonesian products in the Australian market. He conveyed the message during an Indonesia-Australia export-import workshop held in a hybrid format at the Marie Reay Teaching Centre, Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

The workshop, themed “Campuspreneur: Shaping Indonesian Students into Future Exporters and Buyers,” was attended by 30 Indonesian students along with several Indonesian business players who joined online. Founder of Agis Indoply International Pty Ltd, Agis Fendy Hasan Bachtiar, also took part as a speaker.

Haris said the workshop aimed to broaden students’ understanding of trade opportunities and the process of bringing Indonesian products into the Australian market. He stated Indonesian students in Australia have a strategic advantage because they understand Indonesia while also knowing Australian consumers, business culture, standards, and networks.

“This workshop aims to broaden the knowledge of Indonesian students in Australia regarding trade opportunities and market entry processes from Indonesia to Australia. It also encourages students to take on roles as prospective exporters, buyers, distributors, and connectors for Indonesian products in Australia,” he said, as quoted from official statement.

According to him, exporting requires more than simply selling products. Exporters need a global mindset, long-term commitment, trust, a strong reputation, compliance with international standards, and the ability to compete through quality and added value.

During the workshop, participants were introduced to potential Indonesian products for Australia and the Pacific region, including coffee, cocoa, spices, herbal products, footwear, building materials, furniture, home decorations, fashion, modest wear, services, and digital products. They also learned about export stages, from market research, HS code identification, trade agreement utilization, and business legality, to product adaptation, packaging, Australia’s biosecurity requirements, pricing, logistics, contracts, and building long-term relationships with buyers.

Haris said the activity was in line with the Trade Ministry’s Campuspreneur spirit, which encourages students to become active players in the trade ecosystem. He added that the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Canberra has continued to work with Indonesian student groups, including through the “Lokal untuk Global” pop-up store program, which introduced 42 Indonesian SME brands to Australian consumers.

Meanwhile, Agis Fendy Hasan Bachtiar, shared his experience building Agis Indoply International Pty Ltd while studying at the University of Tasmania. Starting from his experience in plywood export marketing, he developed a business model covering supplier sourcing, factory selection, negotiation, inspection, documentation, and delivery.

Agis now exports Indonesian plywood to countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, with a volume of more than 30 containers per month. He said students can start a business from simple steps: identifying one opportunity, validating demand, choosing the right supplier, securing one customer, and building trust through documented results.

One participant, ANU Master of Marketing Management student Muhammad Zukhri Ihsan, said the workshop gave him valuable insights into Indonesia-Australia trade. “I received very valuable information from the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Canberra and Mas Agis, particularly regarding Indonesia-Australia trade policies and the perspective of an Indonesian exporter,” he said.