Leading Commodities and Business Opportunities in the Coastal Area of West Aceh: A Regional Economic Analysis

Abstract

Coastal areas play an important role in regional development by connecting natural resources, livelihoods, market access, and local business opportunities. In West Aceh, fisheries, plantation commodities, and community-based economic activities have significant development potential, yet policy discussions often remain broad at the sectoral level. This study aims to identify the leading commodity in the coastal area of West Aceh and analyze the associated business opportunities. The study employs a descriptive-quantitative approach using secondary data from official statistics, regional publications, and relevant scholarly references. Four commodities were compared: marine capture fisheries, coconut, smallholder oil palm, and brackish-water aquaculture. The analysis applies a Commodity Potential Index (CPI) based on five criteria: production continuity, market strength, downstream opportunity, labor absorption, and coastal suitability. The results identify marine capture fisheries as the leading commodity, followed by coconut, smallholder oil palm, and brackish-water aquaculture. The findings indicate that the potential of West Aceh’s coastal economy lies not only in primary production but also in strengthening value chains through post-harvest handling, processing, logistics, packaging, and the development of micro and small businesses. This study provides a practical framework for commodity prioritization in data-constrained coastal regions and offers policy directions for strengthening local economic development through territorial relevance, employment absorption, value-chain development, and local value creation.