Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 12:09 PM UTC

Indonesia, China agree to strengthen agricultural cooperation

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Harianto, Azis Kurmala

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Zhu have agreed to strengthen agricultural cooperation to boost production, facilitate technology transfer and investment, and develop strategic commodities to enhance both countries' production capacity.

"This cooperation is aimed at strengthening domestic production capacity, increasing productivity, and creating broader trade and investment opportunities for both countries," Minister Amran said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Amran and Zhang on Monday (November 2).

The meeting discussed garlic development from upstream to downstream, research collaboration and modern agricultural technology, stronger trade in leading commodities, and investment opportunities in the agro-processing industry.

"Cooperation with China must deliver tangible benefits for Indonesia's agricultural sector," Amran said.

He emphasized that the partnership should go beyond maintaining smooth trade flows and also strengthen national production capabilities, accelerate agricultural modernization, and increase the added value of leading commodities.

"We want to strengthen this cooperation. For commodities that we need, such as garlic and soybeans, we hope to secure better supplies. At the same time, we also want to expand exports of Indonesia's leading commodities to China," he said.

Amran said one of the main proposals was to develop the garlic sector comprehensively, covering seed provision, cultivation technology, agricultural machinery and equipment, and the establishment of production clusters in Indonesia.

The initiative is intended to strengthen domestic production capacity while reducing dependence on supplies from abroad.

Currently, around 90 percent of Indonesia's garlic needs are met by imports from China. Amran therefore called for bilateral ties to evolve into a partnership that also supports increased garlic production in Indonesia.

"We want upstream-to-downstream cooperation in garlic, starting with seeds, technology, agricultural machinery and equipment, and extending to the development of production clusters in Indonesia," he said.

In addition to garlic, Amran encouraged the development of production clusters for Indonesia's leading commodities, particularly coconuts, coffee, and durians.

The cooperation is expected to expand market access, maintain product quality, and increase the added value of Indonesian commodities.

On investment, Amran offered Chinese companies opportunities to develop processing industries in special zones prepared by the government. The proposed sectors include coconut and derivative products, seaweed, and agricultural vaccine manufacturing.

He said the availability of land, legal permits, and investment incentives in the zones was expected to facilitate investors in establishing industrial facilities in Indonesia.

"The land is ready, and the necessary legal arrangements are also being prepared. Investors only need to come. We want to develop processing industries, such as coconut and seaweed factories, so that our resources can generate greater added value," he said.

Technology transfer was another key item on the meeting's agenda. Amran encouraged cooperation in mechanization, artificial intelligence (AI), and the application of modern technologies to improve agricultural efficiency and productivity.

He also proposed expanding cooperation in dairy products, noting that Indonesia's annual milk demand stood at around four million tons.

In addition, he proposed joint research on wheat as part of efforts to meet domestic demand, which remains heavily dependent on imports.

The Indonesia-China partnership is expected not only to strengthen trade but also to increase national production capacity through technology transfer, research, investment, and downstream industrial development.

Meanwhile, Chinese Agriculture Minister Zhang Zhu said agricultural cooperation between the two countries had made positive progress since 2019.

He also highlighted the substantial trade ties between Indonesia and China, describing them as an important foundation for expanding their agricultural partnership.

Zhang expressed support for efforts to develop garlic production in Indonesia. China was ready to deepen technical discussions on production technology, planting techniques, and other cultivation aspects that could be covered through bilateral cooperation.

"We strongly support the development of garlic production in Indonesia. We are ready to deepen discussions, particularly on production technology, planting techniques, and other technical aspects in which the two countries can cooperate," Zhang said.

Regarding coffee, cocoa, and palm oil, Zhang said his ministry would encourage the establishment of working groups to discuss cooperation on these Indonesian flagship commodities.

He also offered to strengthen technical discussions and research collaboration, including the use of unmanned drones, agricultural robots, and AI. China also expressed its readiness to organize a business delegation to explore investment opportunities in Indonesia.

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