Indonesia trade mission promotes Nebraska ag exports

Nebraska Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly led a delegation of Nebraska agricultural and economic stakeholders on a trade mission to Indonesia in late July.

Throughout the 10-day mission, the delegation visited Indonesian chefs, business executives and university researchers to market Nebraska products and build stronger trade ties.

Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton said Indonesia was a strategic choice for the trade mission because the country’s growing demand for protein is outpacing its supply.

The market for beef there has grown tenfold over the last decade, and Vinton said Indonesia’s favorable demographics make it a more appealing long term trading partner compared to other Asian countries.

“Korea and Japan are kind of facing a demographic cliff, so while they've been excellent trading partners, if we look 10-20 years out, that might change," she said. "But Indonesia, the average age is under 40. They're very, very young country with growing demand for the products that we produce."

Eugene Goering, a farmer from Columbus and member of the Nebraska Soybean Board, was part of the delegation and said that the country represents an opportunity for soybean farmers in Nebraska.

“Southeast Asia, in general, is a large share of our soybean market,” he said. “Indonesia is a growing market, and that's a country that needs more protein in their diet, so it's an excellent place for us to be exporting soybeans.”

Goering said almost 50% of all soybeans grown in Nebraska are exported.

Indonesia is a Muslim-majority nation of around 280 million people that will also soon require imports to be halal – that is, permissible according to Islamic Law.

The Indonesian government mandated that by October 2024, all products entering the country must have official halal certification.

The largest certifier of Halal products in the United States, Halal Transactions of Omaha, is located in Nebraska.

Kelly said that presents an opportunity for Nebraska farmers to have their products certified and exported to Muslim countries like Indonesia.

“It appears to me that Nebraska is really well positioned to get out in front of that, which will again allow the sale of more Nebraska product in those Muslim countries as well,” Kelly said.

As part of the trade mission, the Nebraska delegation also instructed Indonesian culinary students on the benefits of Nebraska beef and visited a movie theater that sells popcorn from Nebraska.