Antara News·Indonesia·Tuesday, November 3, 2026 at 08:54 AM UTC

Indonesia, Canada partner to boost SME exports through TRISEG project

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Maria Galuh, Uyu Liman

The TRISEG project should help us reduce our trade deficit with Canada,

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Ministry of Trade has partnered with the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada to help 200 Indonesian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) expand their exports to the Canadian market.

The collaboration is being implemented under the Trade for Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Economic Growth (TRISEG) project, which provides technical assistance to businesses in the handicraft and home furniture sectors.

Speaking at the project’s launch here on Tuesday, the ministry’s Director General of National Export Development, Fajarini Puntodewi, said the assistance covers product design, Canadian market intelligence, trend forecasting, and pricing strategies.

“TFO is providing capacity-building support for our SMEs, encompassing design development, market knowledge, consumer trends, and strategic pricing,” Puntodewi said.

She noted that the program prioritizes women-led and women-owned businesses. However, she acknowledged that it does not yet cover trade financing, which remains a major challenge for local exporters.

Meanwhile, the ministry’s Director of Export Development for Manufactured Products, Deden Muhammad Fajar Shiddiq, said TRISEG is a five-year initiative running until March 2030 and supported by a CA$334,783 (approximately US$239,503) grant from TFO.

In addition to assisting 200 SMEs, two-thirds of which are targeted to be women-led, the program aims to secure at least 20 commercial deals and establish connections with 20 new Canadian buyers.

Shiddiq expressed optimism that the initiative would help narrow Indonesia’s trade deficit with Canada.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$3.51 billion in the January-August 2026 period, marking a 15.5 percent year-on-year increase. However, Indonesia recorded a trade deficit, with exports totaling US$1.12 billion and imports from Canada reaching US$2.39 billion.

According to Shiddiq, the handicraft sector offers particularly strong growth prospects. Indonesian handicraft exports to Canada rose 21.8 percent to US$8.41 million in 2025. The upward trend continued through August 2026, with exports surging 46.5 percent year-on-year to US$8.15 million.

“The TRISEG project should help us reduce our trade deficit with Canada,” Shiddiq said.

He noted that although Canada’s total handicraft imports reached US$700.7 million in 2025, Indonesia accounted for only around 1.2 percent of the market.

Shiddiq added that the anticipated entry into force of the Indonesia-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (I-CA CEPA) on December 1, 2026, is expected to provide broader market access.

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