Bangka Belitung’s prized pepper gains momentum in international markets.
Indonesia is promoting Muntok White Pepper, a Geographical Indication-registered product from the Bangka Belitung Islands, to 1,200 restaurants across 63 countries as it seeks to expand exports of the spice.
The initiative builds on Bangka Belitung’s long-standing association with white-pepper production. Muntok White Pepper received Geographical Indication registration in 2010, recognising its connection to the province and its identity as a distinctive Indonesian product.
The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises of the Republic of Indonesia is working with the restaurant network to connect local producers with overseas demand for spices and herbs. Mr Bagus Rachman, Deputy for Medium Enterprises at the ministry, said the initiative could create new opportunities for Indonesian pepper producers.
To support producers, the ministry is using SAPA UMKM, an integrated digital platform that provides Indonesian micro, small and medium enterprises with services including data verification, licensing, financing, digital bookkeeping, training and access to international markets.
The ministry has also enrolled 1,300 pepper farmers in a plantation cluster in Bangka Belitung and encouraged producers to register through the SAPA UMKM application. The platform can also help eligible businesses access People’s Business Credit (Kredit Usaha Rakyat) financing.
The initiative comes as exports from Bangka Belitung continue to increase. Indonesia’s National Quarantine Agency recorded 1,370 tonnes of white pepper exported from the province through 184 shipments in 2025, with a total value of Rp180 billion (approximately US$11.25 million).
The shipments went to markets including Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan. During the first six months of 2026, exports reached 919.5 tonnes worth Rp148.9 billion (approximately US$9.31 million), up 25.75 percent from 731.2 tonnes during the same period in 2025.
With exports increasing alongside greater support for farmers and small businesses, the restaurant network could give Muntok White Pepper a wider route into global food markets. For producers in Bangka Belitung, the initiative could create new commercial opportunities while giving greater international recognition to one of Indonesia’s distinctive agricultural products.
Source: ANTARA News
