Indonesia's state-owned plantation company PTPN VIII will export bananas to Singapore from 2014, said Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Dahlan Iskan on Friday.
Dahlan said banana export to Singapore presents a major milestone for Indonesian tropical fruits to enter international markets, Indonesian news agency ANTARA reported. "Hopefully we can expand banana exports to China and other countries in the coming years," the minister said after inspecting the company's plantation here Thursday. "China offers a great potential for our fruit market thanks to the huge population and high demand there," he said.
PTPN VIII chief executive officer Dadi Sunardi said the company is serious about developing its banana export business apart from its core businesses in payaya, tea, rubber and palm oil plantations.
Banana and papaya plantations produced 96 tonnes of fruits and contributed US$117,500 revenue to PTPN VIII as of October this year.
