By CDFA Secretary Karen Ross
I am honored to be representing California on a policy mission in Indonesia sponsored by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).
I’m traveling with four other state ag secretaries/commissioners along with NASDA CEO Ted McKinney and several staff members, and I’m thrilled that our guest industry partner on the trip is Krysta Harden, CEO of the Dairy Export Council.
We are participating in a series of meetings, to not only learn about market opportunities but to invest time in building government-to-government and trade relationships. I’m looking forward to gaining a better understanding of the opportunities for California ag products. From a California perspective dairy is showing great promise in Indonesia, and California table grapes, dried fruits and tree nuts are here with opportunities to expand. I’d like to see the development of a citrus market here.
One of our first meetings was with US Ambassador Sung Kim, followed by briefings from our friends with Foreign Ag Service (FAS). I am a big fan of FAS – they are boots on the ground in about 90 countries with in-depth knowledge about the country, the culture, the politics and the market opportunities and challenges.
In 2022, Indonesia was the 11th-largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports. Indonesia’s growing and increasingly wealthy population is likely to drive future demand for our food and ag offerings. The population is estimated to be 273 million, making it the fourth-most populous country in the world, and it has the largest economy in Southeast Asia. We will learn a lot about the market, its regulations, and ways we can collaborate with importers to meet rising consumer demand.