Indonesia is Rich in Tropical Fruits but Export Remains Low. Why?
With the start of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2016, Indonesia has to face tougher competition for its fruits exports. The AEC entails a high degree of free trade among its member nations and therefore competition for tropical fruit exports increases, not only in export markets in other parts of the ASEAN region but also on Indonesia's domestic market. Kafi Kurnia, Head of the Indonesian Export-Import of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association (Assibisindo), stated that, despite the great potential, Indonesia's fruit export volume remains small. The government is to blame as it fails to turn fruit into a key export commodity.