Indonesia Targets Middle East In Push To Grow Halal F&B Exports

Indonesia’s Deputy Trade Minister, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, told a trade forum in Jakarta on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, that the Middle East offers a substantial market for the country’s halal food and beverage products, according to Antara News. The remarks, made at the Indonesia Food and Beverage Trade Promotion Forum at the Trade Ministry’s office, came as Indonesian food and beverage exports trailed three ASEAN neighbors, according to Antara’s Indonesian-language report, and ranked fourth in the region in 2025, according to RRI, Indonesia’s state broadcaster.

Indonesia’s 2025 food and beverage exports totaled US$6.25 billion, fourth in ASEAN, according to RRI. Indonesia’s deputy trade minister called the Middle East a substantial market for halal F&B, per Antara News; CNBC Indonesia reported the Trade Ministry is targeting the Middle East for halal F&B exports. Indonesian food and beverage export growth trails global demand growth, RRI reported.

A Fourth-Place Finish in ASEAN

RRI reported that Thailand led the region with US$17.69 billion in 2025 food and beverage exports, followed by Vietnam, which posted US$8.89 billion, and Singapore, at US$6.5 billion, with Indonesia fourth at US$6.25 billion. Food and beverage exports account for 2.2 percent of Indonesia’s total exports, which stood at roughly US$280 billion, RRI reported. Dyah Roro Esti called the standing “fairly strategic” and said, per RRI, “you could say we are top five” when discussing ASEAN — her own framing, distinct from the fourth-place ranking in the figures RRI reported. Antara’s Indonesian-language report on the same forum confirmed the fourth-place ranking in its article body, even though its headline described the result as a top-five finish.

Growth Running Below Global Demand Growth

RRI devoted a second report to the growth rate. Indonesia’s food and beverage exports grew by an average of 5.44 percent a year from 2021 to 2025 while global demand for food and beverage products posted 7.7 percent growth over the last five years, which RRI said leaves Indonesian growth running below global demand growth. Fajarini Puntodewi, the Trade Ministry’s Director General for National Export Development, said, in remarks reported by RRI: “global market demand is actually larger.” RRI also reported that the government is focusing on product quality, competitiveness, and standards compliance to widen access to international markets.

The Middle East Pitch

Dyah Roro Esti raised halal products as one example of where demand abroad sits; the US$6.25 billion figure covers the full food and beverage category and doesn’t break out halal. “For halal F&B products, for example, we have a substantial market in the Middle East,” she said, according to Antara News’s English edition. She added that Indonesia’s diaspora abroad retains a taste for home cooking: “Even though our diaspora lives abroad, they will certainly still have Indonesian tastes. So, they need to source products from Indonesia,” she said, per Antara News’s English edition. CNBC Indonesia independently confirmed the ministry’s Middle East focus, reporting that Dyah Roro Esti made similar remarks at the same Jakarta forum on 11 August 2026, describing the food and beverage sector as a fairly strategic one.

The government already has a presence in 33 countries, staffed by Trade Attaches and Indonesian Trade Promotion Centers, Antara reported. The deputy minister said that’s a network the ministry can put to work for exporters: “We can facilitate all businesses, particularly in this F&B sector, to penetrate international markets with the network we have,” she said, per Antara’s Indonesian-language report. Separately, Antara and CNBC Indonesia both reported that Padang eateries and other Indonesian restaurants have opened in the European Union.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Indonesia’s food and beverage export figures for 2025?

Indonesia’s total food and beverage exports reached US$6.25 billion in 2025, ranking fourth among ASEAN countries, according to RRI. Thailand led the region at US$17.69 billion, followed by Vietnam at US$8.89 billion and Singapore at US$6.5 billion, per RRI’s reporting.

Is Indonesia’s US$6.25 billion export figure a halal-specific number?

No. The US$6.25 billion figure is Indonesia’s total food and beverage export value for 2025, according to RRI, and it doesn’t isolate halal products. Deputy Trade Minister Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri’s Middle East remarks, reported by Antara News, describe halal F&B products as an export opportunity, not a share of that total.

Why is Indonesia targeting the Middle East for halal exports?

Dyah Roro Esti said Indonesia has “a substantial market” for halal F&B products in the Middle East, according to Antara News’s English edition, and CNBC Indonesia separately reported that the Trade Ministry has set its sights on the Middle East for halal F&B, based on her remarks at the 11 August 2026 Jakarta trade forum.

How does Indonesia’s F&B export growth compare to global demand?

Indonesia’s food and beverage export growth averaged 5.44 percent annually between 2021 and 2025, according to RRI, while global demand for food and beverage products posted 7.7 percent growth over the last five years, which RRI said leaves Indonesian growth running below global demand growth. RRI separately reported that the government is focusing on product quality, competitiveness and standards compliance to widen international market access.

What share of Indonesia’s exports come from food and beverage?

Food and beverage products account for 2.2 percent of Indonesia’s total exports, which totaled roughly US$280 billion, according to RRI’s reporting on the Trade Ministry’s 11 August 2026 forum.