Prof.Dr. Rina Oktaviani, Professor of FEM IPB: We Must Be Good at Market Intelligent

Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that has been approved need to be reexamined, given its current low utilization. But withdrawal from FTA that has been agreed or application of non-tariff barriers is very unlikely to happen because there will be retaliation from other nation, unless Indonesia can provide an acceptable scientific argument. Professor of Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) IPB Prof. Dr. Rina Oktaviani said that in the Pre Scientific Oration on Campus IPB Baranangsiang attended by a number of mass media on Friday (28/10).

Prof. Rina said, continuous socialization and various facilities to obtain information needed to increase market access of Indonesia. Good governance is required, including macroeconomic stability, efficiency and transparent administration, and public participation. "Our market intelligence has to be very good. Enable our attaches in the foreign countries to find out what products are needed by international markets. Do not just be busy with picking up guests only," assured Prof. Rina.

Furthermore, Prof. Rina said, it is necessary to increase the competitiveness of the Indonesia agricultural industry in facing FTA, especially in the face of global economic crisis. Technological innovation is needed to improve competitiveness because of the stagnation of linkages to agricultural processing industries. An improved quality of export infrastructure is also much required.

"Apart from the limitations in the quality of export infrastructure, the Indonesian exports that are characterized by and still concentrated on the primary industries of agriculture with low added value require the adoption of technologies and the strengthening of downstream industries," added Prof. Rina. Weak Supply chain management, lack of access to information, excessive costs related to quality improvement and inability to access loans and other financing sources are issues that require serious treatment by the government.

"Diversification for export markets and export commodities are also felt to need an urgent priority. This can reduce the dependence on developed countries that are affected by the global economic crisis, " she concluded. (Mtd)