JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry continues to encourage the improvement of the competitiveness of small and medium industries (SMI) in order to penetrate the export market. One of the efforts to introduce the quality of national SMI products in the international arena, the Ministry of Industry facilitates the participation of handicraft SMIs at the Ambiente Exhibition at Messe Frankfurt, Germany.
"Companies that have received this participation facility are noted to be able to improve their export performance and have the opportunity to have a wider market by attracting consumers from various countries," said Plt. Director General of Small, Medium and Multifarious Industries (IKMA) of the Ministry of Industry, Reni Yanita in Yogyakarta, Wednesday (13/10).
Last Tuesday (12/10), Plt. The Director General of IKMA made a working visit in Yogyakarta as well as witnessed firsthand the export release of handicraft products from four companies in the craft sector, especially home decor, namely PT Harmoni Jaya Kreasi, CV Industri Classica Variasi, CV Palem Craft Jogja, and CV Pandanus Internusa. These four companies have received facilitation of participation from the Ministry of Industry at the Ambiente Exhibition.
Reni added that handicraft SMIs in the country have great potential to continue to be developed. This can be seen from the export of handicraft products which were recorded to reach USD 829 million in 2020. Not only that, when viewed from the number, the handicraft industry plays a quite dominant role, reaching more than 700 thousand business units, and absorbing up to 1.32 million workers.
The export performance of SMIs participating in the Ambiente Exhibition has increased by an average of 99.5 percent per year for the last three years. “In 2019, the eight participants of the Ambiente Exhibition recorded sales at the time of the exhibition of USD 1.57 million and the export value after the exhibition of USD 3.28 million. Previously, in 2018, the sales value of six participants during the exhibition was recorded at USD705.2 thousand and the export value after the exhibition was USD1.2 million." (LM)