Indonesia to Begin Cooperation with Non-Traditional Trading Partners
Secretary General of Trade Ministry Karyanto Suprih gives a speech at the Public Relations Coordinating Boards thematic discussion, Jakarta, Tuesday (4/9) afternoon. (Photo by: IST)
Ministry of Trade continues to push the countrys micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to develop their businesses and products through export sectors, among others, by boosting trade cooperation with non-traditional trading partners.
“We are embarking on cooperation with new, non-traditional trading partners such as Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh to open up new markets,” the Ministrys Secretary General Karyanto Suprih said during a thematic discussion of Public Relations Coordinating Agency (Bakohumas) under the theme “Indonesia Progresses Through Free Trade in the Digital Age,” at the Indonesian Export Education and Training (PPEI) auditorium in Jakarta, Tuesday (4/9).
In addition, Karyanto added that the Ministry also encourages MSMEs to use e-commerce by disseminating trade policies.
Other measures to encourage MSMEs in developing their businesses and products are holding a workshop through the Indonesian Design Development Center (IDDC) on how to create quality, value-added and competitive products and issuing policies on super-fast processing of raw materials, he added.
Karyanto went on to say that the Ministry also aims to improve the quality of Indonesian products through the Ministrys Designer Dispatch Service (DDS) program, which helps facilitate cooperation between MSMEs players and designers. “The program is a form of our assistance to MSMEs to develop products with designs that suit current global trends,” Karyanto said, adding that the selected MSMEs players will have the opportunity to rebrand their products facilitated by the Ministry, both at home and abroad.
However, Karyanto urged entrepreneurs or exporters to have the ability to market commodities digitally so that promotions and transactions become more effective and efficient.
Karyanto also revealed that Indonesia saw a better export performance last year and far exceeded the target set at USD168.7 billion, or increased from that in 2016 at USD145.1 billion. For 2018, the Ministry has set the target of increasing exports by 11% from the total exports in 2017.
Also present on the occasion were Director General of Information and Public Communications as Chairman of the Government Public Relations Coordinating Board Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, Head of Public Relations Bureau of Ministry of Trade Fajarini Kuntodewi, Director General of Post Operations and Informatics Djatmiko, Sales & Marketing Export General Manager of beverages company PT. Sinar Sosro Sylvia Kurnia, representative from e-commerce platform blibli.com Wahyu Hari P, and representatives from public relations of ministries/institutions. (HEN/ES) (MUR/EP/YM/Naster).
