INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - President of the Indonesia-Qatar Business Council Hendra Hartono said Qatar has submitted a request to import 10 types of goods from Indonesia in the near future.

The request was submitted through the Indonesian Embassy in Qatar.

"The 10 additional items outside of the main products we normally export include stationery, paper, furniture, chicken pieces, briquettes, fast food, fresh fish, garment products, sewing machines and medicines," he said. The press in Jakarta, Thursday (08/10/2017)

Hendra said 10 types of additional goods that have great potential to be imported from Indonesia. He hopes that the export of requested products can be realized soon because other countries are also aiming for similar opportunities.

Competitors such as Vietnam, Malaysia or Thailand also called to keep peering export opportunities to Qatar.

"They benefit from closer distance, it's our problem, but we also have a chance because we have a superior product like cement, for example," he said.

Chairman of the Central Committee of the Middle East and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Kadin Indonesia Fachry Thaib said export potential to Qatar is still very large. Especially in the current condition of Qatar who got the blockade of the country around in the midst of preparations for the 2022 World Cup event.

Despite the crisis, Fachry sees it as a business opportunity to boost exports. Although exports continue to run, he said the blockade did cause exports to Qatar now can not be done through Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates causing an increase in postage of goods.

"As a result of being blockaded, our goods could be via Oman or Iran, through Dubai, but there is an increase in the cost of the fee, but not significantly, for example, which was 1,400-1,600 dollars per container to 1,800 US dollars or maximum of 2,000 US dollars per container , "He told media crews.

The cost increase, continued Fachry, can still be compensated with high selling value. Moreover, he claimed to have gained potential buyers.

"Indonesia is neutral, so do not be afraid if we export to Qatar, we are neutral, we should take this opportunity, Malaysia will give us export first, especially Qatar also judge us because of fraternity as fellow Muslim country," he said.

Throughout 2016 the value of Indonesia's exports to Qatar reached 900 million US dollars. While until mid-2017, the value of Indonesia's exports to the country reached about 700 million US dollars. Efforts to boost exports are encouraged to continue to be done so that the value does not plummet, especially with the crisis that plagued the country.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Egypt sever diplomatic ties with Qatar because of the country's relations with Iran and the assumption that both countries support terrorist groups aimed at disrupting the Gulf, in particular Qatar's links with the Muslim Brotherhood considered threatened by the four countries.