Indonesia Seeks Bigger Share of China’s Expanding Food Market

RRI.CO.ID, Shanghai - Indonesia is seeking to strengthen its trade partnership with China by expanding exports of agricultural and processed food products to the Chinese market. The effort was highlighted during the Indonesia–China Business Forum themed “Advancing Trade, Enhancing Partnership” held in Shanghai on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

Based on the release received by RRI Voi Thursday, May 21, 2026, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Trade, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, said China remains one of Indonesia’s most important trading partners for the agriculture and food sectors. According to her, China’s domestic demand for Indonesian agricultural commodities and processed foods continues to grow steadily each year.

“China is one of the world’s largest importers of agricultural and processed food products, and demand from Indonesia continues to increase,” Roro said at the forum attended by around 80 participants. The event was held alongside the SIAL Shanghai international food exhibition.

Roro explained that Indonesia’s agricultural exports to China reached USD 1.55 billion in 2025, recording a five-year growth trend of 10.8 percent. Meanwhile, exports of processed food products were valued at USD 386.48 million, growing by an average of 2 percent annually between 2021 and 2025.

Indonesia’s key agricultural exports to China include bird’s nest products, tropical fruits, fisheries products, seaweed, coconut-based products, spices, and coffee. Strategic commodities such as crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives also continue to play a major role in bilateral trade, with export values reaching USD 3.29 billion in 2025.

The Indonesian government said trade relations between the two countries have been strengthened through regional and bilateral agreements such as the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Officials encouraged businesses from both countries to maximize these agreements to boost trade and investment cooperation.

Indonesian Vice Minister of Agriculture, Sudaryono, speaking virtually, said China’s agricultural import market still offers major untapped opportunities for Indonesian exporters. He noted that China’s agricultural demand is estimated to reach USD 31 billion, creating significant prospects for Indonesian businesses.

During the forum, seven memorandums of understanding were signed between Indonesian companies and Chinese importers covering products such as bird’s nests, seaweed, coffee, spices, frozen durian, tropical fruits, and coconut derivatives. Roro stated that the agreements and trade mission activities in Shanghai generated potential transactions worth USD 60.3 million.

The forum also facilitated one-on-one business matching sessions that produced an additional USD 25.78 million in potential transactions involving seaweed, coconut charcoal, black pepper, cocoa powder, and tropical fruits. A total of 22 Indonesian companies participated in the event, bringing products from the agriculture, fisheries, and processed food sectors.

One Indonesian participant, PT Bahari Agro Indonesia, said the event opened access to new Chinese buyers for Indonesian seaweed products. The company secured requests for dried cottonii and spinosum seaweed supplies from Chinese biotechnology company Shanghai Briliant Gum.

Indonesia’s frozen durian exports to China also showed strong growth, according to him, from the Indonesian Durian Plantation Association. Between January and April this year, Indonesia exported 4,077 tons of frozen durian to China, with both countries expected to continue discussions on fresh durian export protocols in the future.