Trade-focused agri-food industries are hailing the successful conclusion of negotiations of the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), announced by the Prime Minister’s Office November 15.
“CAFTA has long supported Canada’s efforts to reach agreement on a CEPA with Indonesia, with its population of some 275 million people and growing middle class,” says Greg Northey, president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance. “We see strong opportunities for growth in agri-food exports to this key market.”
Indonesia imported a total of Can$37.9 billion worth agri-food and seafood products in 2023. Canada was Indonesia’s eighth largest supplier of agri-food and seafood products in 2023, importing Can$1.6 billion in 2023, accounting for 4.3% of the market.
See more: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada opens Indo-Pacific office in Manila
“Though we still need to see the exact details of the agreement to have a full picture, CAFTA has long called for a CEPA,” said Michael Harvey, executive director of CAFTA. “Fast-growing markets like Indonesia are key to diversifying our agri-food exports.”
The federal government says CEPA will be in force “as soon as possible.”
Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, issued a joint statement where they committed to “complete the remaining technical work by the end of 2024 and begin our respective domestic procedures with a view to signing the Agreement in 2025.”
The Asia-Pacific region has been high on the federal government’s trade radar for several years, and led to the creation of a $31.8 million joint initiative in 2023 between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) at Manila, Philippines, is led by Diedrah Kelly, appointed in December of 2023.
