Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia has secured a US$78,000 export deal with Saudi Arabia for 10 metric tons of cloves, according to the Indonesian Ministry of Trade.The deal was finalized through the signing of a Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) between Indonesia’s PT Navva Nusantara Commodities and Saudi Arabia’s Al Nafea Foods Co.“The signing of this clove purchase agreement demonstrates the international quality of Indonesian products,” said Fajarini Puntodewi, Director General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.She expressed hope that the deal would open further opportunities for Indonesian goods in global markets, particularly in the Gulf region.The agreement resulted from a business matching session organized by the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) in Jeddah in June 2026.Head of the Jeddah ITPC Bagas Haryotejo noted that the regional conflict is currently a major challenge in the Gulf region, driving shipping costs to Saudi Arabia up by as much as threefold.Nevertheless, the Jeddah ITPC remains committed to assisting Indonesian exporters—including micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)—in exploring the Saudi Arabian market and maintaining steady bilateral trade.“We hope exporters that have established a foothold in the Saudi Arabian market maintain their product quality to preserve trust and unlock greater opportunities with importers in Saudi Arabia, even amid these trade challenges,” Bagas said.From January to June 2026, total non-oil and gas trade between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia stood at US$1.69 billion.Indonesian exports accounted for US$1.02 billion, while imports reached US$665.10 million, resulting in a trade surplus of US$357.3 million for Indonesia.In 2025, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia recorded US$3.94 billion in non-oil and gas trade, with Indonesian exports totaling US$2.88 billion and imports reaching US$1.06 billion. This resulted in a trade surplus of US$1.82 billion for Indonesia.Indonesia’s main exports to Saudi Arabia included vehicles and parts, animal or vegetable fats and oils, ships and boats, processed food products, as well as wood and wooden products.Meanwhile, major imports from Saudi Arabia comprised salt, sulfur, and limestone; plastics and plastic products; organic chemicals; miscellaneous chemical products; and fruits.