AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST PROSPECTIVE MARKETS FOR RI'S PROCESSED FOOD

Jakarta, March 6 (ANTARA) - Indonesia now has the chance to expand its markets to the Middle East and Africa where Indonesian processed food and beverages are in high demand, a businessman said.

"The Middle Eastren and African markets are prospective because there are a lot of Indonesians there," chairman of the Indonesian Food and Drinks Business Association (GAPMI) Thomas Dharmawan said here on Thursday.
He said there was also demand for these goods in Iran although experts to the Gulf country were still carried out through Dubai in the United Arb Emirates.
So far, he said, most Indonesian processed food exports went to the United States, Japan and European Union, while exports to the Middle East and Africa were still lower.
Referring to the fact that Indonesia's exports of food and beverages were declining in January from that in December due to the global economic crisis, Thomas said that a decline in exports was a normal thing to happen.
"Demand during December is high because there are Christmas and New Year holidays. So, if it is compared with the declining exports in January if would be normal," he added.
He said that he had not yet seen any big decline in demand for food and drink exports.
Thomas said that it was true if many starbucks coffee shops were closed businesses but it did not mean that demand for coffee had been declining.
"No decline in demand because people need to eat and to drink," he added.