This unfair treatment was imposed among others on the world's largest pineapple producing company, PT Great Giant Pineapple Co. (GGPC) in Central Lampung district, Lampung province.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia often receives unfair treatment from export destination countries as the former is subject to higher import duty rates than other nations, the Indonesian Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan, said in Lampung on Friday (March 3).

One of the companies that received unfair treatment was PT Great Giant Pineapple Co. (GGPC) in Central Lampung district, Zulkifli said, adding that the largest pineapple producing company in the world received unfair treatment from a number of countries, including South Korea which imposed an import duty tariff for banana products by 30 percent, Turkey by 58 percent, and Europe by 16 percent.

Seeing this, the former chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly for the 2014-2019 period said he would respond to these countries' actions by imposing a similar policy, according to the Indonesian Ministry of Trade in a written statement quoted by Indonesia Window on Sunday.

The government is accelerating the completion of negotiations on Indonesia - European Union Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (IEU CEPA). The minister targets the agreement to be completed in mid-2023.

The Corporate Director of PT Great Giant Pineapple Co. Affair Willy Soegiono asked the government to involve the private sector before negotiating in export destination countries.

"The negotiating team should improve its combat power. Then, immediately and actively conduct negotiations in export destination countries. In order to make the information flow smoothly, before negotiating we (the private sector) should be invited to see what you need," he said.

As the government has not involved the private sector in formulating policies for a long time, Willy hopes that the government and the private sector can collaborate to create foreign exchange for the country.

Reporting by Indonesia Window