JAKARTA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government is set to expand market access for Indonesian products to Egypt as the potential remains high, an official said here Tuesday.
Trade between the two countries has been active in recent years, with an annual growth of about 10.48 percent from 2009 to 2013, Nuz Nuzulia Ishak, director general of the national export development of the Trade Ministry said.
"We will expand our export market in Egypt in a bid to scale up export of non-oil and gas," Nuzulia said at the ministry.
Last year, the total trade volume between the two countries reached 1.03 billion U.S. dollars, indicating a huge opportunity to rise as demand grows, she said.
"I hope our exporters to be able to use the opportunity in the strengthening of export to Egypt," Nuzulia added.
Egypt is a non-traditional market for Indonesian exports and the boost of shipment of products to the country is in line with the Indonesian government's aim to diversify export to non- traditional export markets.
The United States and Europe are Indonesia's traditional export markets.
Nuzulia said the Indonesian government encourages businessmen from Indonesia and Egypt to step up their trade, a move aiming at helping raise the trade volume.
Currently, the Indonesian trade ministry is facilitating trade mission and investors from Egypt to conduct their activities in the country, she said.
"I hope the trade mission can create new business cooperation between the two countries. Hence it could increase Indonesia's export to Egypt," Nuzulia said.
Among Indonesian products highly demanded in Egypt are tires, batteries, electronic products, house ware, cocoa and tea.
In October, Indonesia's trade performance swung into a surplus of 20 million U.S. dollars after registering a deficit in September as non-oil and gas exports rose, the national statistics bureau said on Dec. 1.
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