VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Products of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are tried to enter Mozambique

The Indonesian Embassy  in Maputo, Mozambique reported that it is trying to open opportunities for export of micro, small and medium enterprises’ (MSMEs) products to Mozambique  in East Africa. Indonesian Ambassador to Mozambique and Malawi, Herry Sudrajat in his virtual presentation on Thursday (22/10) said that what he has done and will do  in Maputo so far is like a study for market access for Indonesian MSMEs’ products. He also said that  the Indonesian Embassy in Maputo also held a meeting with potential buyers, especially distributors. Therefore, It is  important to   convince the distributors in Mozambique to try Indonesian goods.

Ambassador Herry further explained that so far, some Indonesian products have entered Mozambique, but through distributors in South Africa. Indonesia signed a Preferential Trade Agreement ( PTA) with Mozambique in August 2019. This will be possibly implemented  in early 2021. Through the agreement, there will be 217 Indonesian products that have a reduced import duty. Ambassador Herry also said that with this PTA, his side hopes that Mozambique will become a hub for Indonesian goods, not only for the Mozambican market but also for other countries’ markets. Currently, Indonesia's main export commodity to Mozambique is palm oil which reached 130,971 tons in 2019, and it was more than half of Mozambique's total palm oil imports of 247,000 tons.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Herry explained that the opportunities for Indonesian MSMEs to export to Mozambique are products of female clothes, shoes and furniture products. He believes that Indonesian MSMEs’ products can be sold at the Mozambican markets, because in terms of quality, Indonesian products are able to compete.