Indonesia Determined to Strengthen Coffee Exports to Japan Through World Expo Osaka 2025

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - World Expo 2025 Osaka is an event for Indonesia to strengthen its position in the sophisticated Japanese coffee market.

In this forum, Indonesia took the theme "Comeback with Confidence - Reviving the Glory of Indonesian Coffee in Japan". In the forum, a number of important issues were discussed, including export barriers, strategic collaboration to open a full market for Indonesian coffee in Japan.

Reported from the official release, the focus of the forum was to overcome the challenges of the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) that emerged in 2023. The MRL emerged when Japanese authorities highlighted concerns about the level of Isoprocarb in Indonesian coffee shipments.

As a result, the requirements for imported coffee from Indonesia have become stricter. The domestic coffee industry has also implemented comprehensive steps including educating farmers about good agricultural practices and the responsible use of pesticides and herbicides.

Not only that, strict sampling and testing steps by accredited laboratories are also carried out. This aims to ensure that every coffee shipment meets the strict MRL of 0.01 mg/KG.

"We are committed to helping our farmers produce coffee more sustainably and effectively, ensuring that every bean meets the strict requirements of our destination countries such as Japan," said Moelyono Soesilo, Indonesian Coffee Expert and Chairman of the Specialty Coffee & Industry Compartment of the Indonesian Coffee Exporters Association (AEKI).

Furthermore, the role of KAPPI Global (Indonesian Coffee Development Education Foundation) is also considered important in empowering coffee industry players in Indonesia. This aims to make Indonesian coffee ready for the export market.

"KAPPI Global is dedicated to educating and empowering the Indonesian coffee sector. Our focus on education, capacity building, and standard compliance ensures that Indonesian coffee is ready for the global market, building a knowledgeable, empowered, and sustainable coffee community," said Roby Wibisono, representative of KAPPI Global.

The Chairman of the Indonesian Coffee Council, Rusman Heriawan also said that the readiness of national coffee industry players is very important for Indonesian coffee to stand out in the global market.

"We are working hard on national initiatives to support our coffee producers and exporters, ensuring their readiness for the global stage and sustainable growth," said Dr. Hermawan.

Potential Japanese Market

On the other hand, the Japanese market is said to have great potential for Indonesian coffee. This is because Indonesian coffee has very diverse varieties.

"The Japanese market really enjoys coffee from Indonesia; its varieties are unmatched by other countries. However, Japan needs a sustainable supply of good quality coffee," said Kato Takayoshi from UCC Japan.

The same thing was also acknowledged by Yutaka Shibata, President of Key Coffee Inc and President of the All Japan Coffee Association. According to him, Mandheling coffee is becoming a favorite.

"Currently, Indonesian Mandheling coffee is highly sought after in Japan. However, the most important thing for the Japanese market is a sustainable supply, value for money, and consistent quality," commented Mr. Shibata.

Seeing this fact, the World Expo Osaka 2025 is also seen as a strategic forum to open up potential markets through strategic partnerships.

"This forum marks a strategic step towards opening up market potential through strategic partnerships. We aim to strengthen collaboration and reintroduce diverse Indonesian coffee origins to the Japanese market," said Merry Astrid Indriasari, Trade Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo.

Indonesia, known as the world's 4th largest coffee producer, produces 10-11 million bags of coffee (around 600,000 tons) annually. As the 7th largest coffee exporter globally, with exports worth USD 1.64 billion last year (a 43% increase compared to the previous year).

Indonesia has a rich diversity of coffee origins, including Arabica varieties such as Gayo, Toraja, Bali, Papua, and Bajawa, as well as Robusta from Lampung, South Sumatra, and Bengkulu. The country's unique geography allows for year-round harvests, and its commitment to traditional and sustainable cultivation practices, coupled with full traceability, underscores its dedication to quality.

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