Indonesia Ships Live Coral Exports to the US

RRI.CO.ID, Banyuwangi — Indonesia strengthened its position in the global marine commodity market by releasing an export shipment of cultivated live corals to the United States. The export release, valued at US$ 2,500, was led directly by Minister of Trade Budi Santoso in Banyuwangi, East Java, on Friday, August 28, 2026.

This step highlights the strong business potential of value-added ornamental coral cultivation that is highly competitive internationally. The government is optimistic that Indonesian marine products will expand their market share across major destination countries.

Budi stated that the Ministry of Trade is ready to provide specialized guidance to increase the appeal and selling value of cultivated coral products. This synergy aims to optimize national marine commodity strengths to excel in global markets.

“Cultivated coral products have good market potential, including in the global market. The Ministry of Trade can provide specialized assistance for marine products like coral so that their market value is better and the products are more attractive. This assistance is part of our efforts to boost the competitiveness of Indonesian products in the international market,” the Trade Minister said.

As a local business entity, PT Sri Kandi Aquarium has successfully exported 27 types of ornamental corals regularly to markets in Europe, Asia, and the United States. The success of cultivation in the Bali Strait waters proves the quality of Indonesian coral for global aquarium needs.

Market expansion efforts are supported by 46 Indonesian trade representatives stationed across 33 countries. Online business matching facilities are provided to make it easier for businesses to meet potential overseas buyers.

“The Ministry of Trade continues to encourage and provide assistance to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) so that our local products can expand their export markets. These efforts include promotions and finding buyers in various countries,” Budi said.

Owner of PT Sri Kandi Aquarium, I Ketut Sukandi, welcomed the government's support and expressed hope for automated inter-agency licensing integration in the future. Streamlined administrative processes are considered essential for improving export efficiency.

“In general, the export process has been running well. We hope that inter-ministerial licensing can become more automatically integrated. That way, we will no longer need to submit documents manually, making exports faster and more efficient,” Ketut explained.

Globally, Indonesia currently ranks as the world's second-largest coral exporter after Japan. This positive achievement serves as a strong foundation for Indonesia to continuously develop its sustainable marine and fisheries industry.