APINDO West Sumatra Calls for a Balanced, Data-Driven Approach to Gambier Downstream Processing
Saturday, 10 October 2026
WEST SUMATRA – The Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO) West Sumatra has called for the development of downstream gambier processing to take into account the actual conditions faced by businesses, ensuring that efforts to increase value-added do not disrupt existing production, trading, and export chains.
The statement was made during the West Sumatra Gambier Downstream Processing Coordination Meeting organized by Andalas University on Saturday (October 10, 2026).
APINDO West Sumatra Chairwoman AE Rina Pangeran attended the meeting alongside Sepdi Tito, an APINDO West Sumatra board member who is also a gambier exporter.
Rina said input from business operators, particularly exporters, needs to be considered alongside academic research findings. She noted that discrepancies exist between research data and the actual conditions experienced by businesses on the ground.
Therefore, proposed downstream processing strategies need to be comprehensively assessed to ensure they do not disrupt existing business chains or the downstream processing practices that have been established in the gambier industry.
She emphasized that the development of the gambier industry must take into account the roles of all stakeholders across the business ecosystem. Changes made without considering conditions on the ground could affect parties involved throughout the production and export chain.
Research and Business Perspectives Need to Be Aligned
Rina said the development of gambier downstream processing requires a balance between research findings, academic interests, industrial needs, and the practical experience of business operators.
Through an integrated approach, downstream processing initiatives in West Sumatra are expected to avoid fragmented implementation and deliver broader economic benefits.
Rina added that APINDO West Sumatra supports efforts to strengthen the gambier downstream processing ecosystem, increase product value-added, and expand market access.
Synergy among universities, the government, exporters, and business operators is considered essential to enhancing the competitiveness of West Sumatran gambier in both domestic and international markets, while improving the livelihoods of communities that depend on the commodity.
Source: Padek (Jawa Pos)
