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THE MINISTRY of Trade announced that Indonesian herbal products have secured a business deal for their first shipment to Saudi Arabia, worth IDR2.5 billion.
The business agreement was formalized in the signing of a Letter of Agreement between PT Dami Sariwana from Indonesia and its partner, Al Itholah Trading from Saudi Arabia.
“This success is the result of synergy between business actors, the Ministry of Trade, and Indonesian trade representatives abroad in opening market access. We hope this initial shipment agreement will open up wide opportunities for increasing exports of Indonesian herbal products to the Middle East,” said Fajarini Puntodewi, Director General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, in a statement in Jakarta on Friday (06/19), 2026.
Meanwhile, Bagas Haryotejo, Head of the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) in Jeddah, stated that the growing trend of healthy lifestyles in Saudi Arabia is a positive catalyst for the entry of Indonesian herbal products.
To ensure business continuity, ITPC Jeddah implemented preventive measures in the form of in-depth verification of the credibility of Indonesian herbal product importers in Saudi Arabia before the signing of the cooperation agreement.
“This preventive measure is important to ensure the credibility of business partners and provide a sense of security for Indonesian exporters,” said Bagas.
The scope of the trade agreement covers three types of superior herbal products: male vitality supplements, blood sugar-lowering supplements, and slimming products. In the initial phase of the cooperation, the first shipment to Saudi Arabia will be one container, scheduled to depart in July, after meeting the standards of the local food and drug authority, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).
This collaboration is expected to further strengthen the positive trend in trade between the two countries, particularly in the non-oil and gas sector. From January to April 2026, total non-oil and gas trade between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia was recorded at US$1.02 billion.
Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to Saudi Arabia amounted to US$675.80 million, and Indonesia’s non-oil and gas imports from Saudi Arabia were US$345.90 million. Indonesia recorded a non-oil and gas surplus with Saudi Arabia of US$329.90 million.
Meanwhile, in 2025, total non-oil and gas trade between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia reached US$3.94 billion. Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to Saudi Arabia dominated, accounting for US$2.88 billion, compared to Indonesia’s non-oil and gas imports from Saudi Arabia, which amounted to US$1.06 billion. Thus, Indonesia recorded a non-oil and gas surplus of US$1.82 billion with Saudi Arabia. [antaranews]
