Indonesia’s strong economy and currency should help spur on sales of fresh fruit over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan this year.
With 88 per cent of Indonesia’s 280m people adhering to the Muslim faith, opportunities for sales of fruit with high sugar content will abound during the month of fasting, said Vanguard International sales & procurement manager Indonesia Yuyuh Sukmana. “The important fruits during Ramadan are dates, grapes, longans, apples, mandarins as well as other sweet tasting fruits,” he said.
PT Agung Mustika Seleras director Joseph Joemono pointed out sweet fruits, which provide a good source of energy, such as dates, grapes and citrus, will be most in demand. “People who fast all day need some food that is sweet when they break their daily fast,” he said.
The Indonesian rupiah is currently performing well in relation to the US dollar, said Mr Joemono, which bodes well for imports from that country. “Imported fruits are cheaper in relation to previous years and we will see an increase in imported fruit during the month of Ramadan.”
Despite a helpful exchange rate, Agus Ang of Abu Annugerah Utama said exports of US Red Globe grapes would not make it in time for the holy month, which falls 11 days earlier than the previous year. Mexico and China, however, should have Red Globe in the market during Ramadan and could well benefit from promotional work undertaken in previous years to position US Red Globe as a must have item during the month.
Sales should also be spurred on by increased consumer confidence with the country boasting strong economic growth and a burgeoning middle class with increased purchasing power.
Market research organization Nielsen Indonesia has revealed the country’s upper-middle class has shifted its preference from regular products to premium products. These changes have occurred as the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased to US$3,015 per capita in 2010, up from US$2,327 per capita in 2009.
According to a recent consumer survey, 82 per cent of Indonesians expect the country will have “good times” financially during the next 12 months.
“Demand for fruit remains strong due to a positive economic outlook, an increase in health consciousness and constant promotion by retailers,” said Mr Sukmana.
Indonesia’s major retailers will all promote fruit during the month. Carrefour will be promoting dates, nuts and dried fruit, while Ranch Market will also display dates, as well as sweet fruit. The high-end retailer will also conduct promotions and print flyers and mail-outs. Hero Supermarkets will hold an inter-store fruit display competition.
Indonesia imports over 600,000 tonnes of fruit per year valued at almost $600m. The main fruits imported are temperate fruits such as mandarins, apples and pears, mainly from China.
These three fruits make up almost three quarters of the total volume of Indonesia’s fruit imports. However, according to Mr Ngalimin Halim, import manager at Segar Manis Mata, Indonesia is now seeing increasing volumes of new varieties of fruits arriving from all over the world.
During the month of May fruit from Thailand such as longan and durian has arrived and is being promoted through major supermarkets like Hero.
