ID :
17433
Sat, 08/30/2008 - 09:42
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http://m.oananews.org//node/17433
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TRADE MINISTRY ALLOCATES RP2 B TO BOOST SMEs' EXPORTS
Bantul, Aug 29 (ANTARA) - The Trade Ministry allocates Rp2 billion in funds every year to boost export-oriented small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improve the quality of their products, an official said on Friday.
"Every year the Trade Ministry allocates budget funds for the procurement of production means for export-oriented SMEs to improve the quality of their products," Director General of Foreign Trade Diah Maulida said on the sidelines of her visit at Krebet village in Bantul district to hand over production means worth Rp700 million to small scale wood, stone and bamboo handicraftsmen.
This year the Trade Ministry was focusing the assistance on SMEs belonging to the category of the creative industry which had the potential to export products such as the handicraft industry, she said.
"We are trying to give SMEs easy access to export their products, for instance, through collective exports. In this way, one container may contain products from a number of handicraftsmen," she said.
Kemiskidi, owner of the Peni Gallery, asked the government to help promote and market his products.
"So far, we have sold our products through sales agents. We ask the government to help organize exhibitions so that we will not merely become handicraftsman but also export our products on our own," he said.
Data from the Bantul district administration show nearly 10 percent of the local population of 811,000 are employed in the handicraft industry.
"In 2007 their number fell by 13-14 percent after an earthquake hit the region in 2006," Riyanto, second assistant for development to the Bantul district head, said.
To date, the district has an estimated 17,000 SMEs which have the potential to export their products.
The district's handicraft exports have so far gone to Germany, Australia, Taiwan and The Netherlands.
In 2006, the district's exports were valued at US$23 million and fell to US$20.2 million in 2007.
"Every year the Trade Ministry allocates budget funds for the procurement of production means for export-oriented SMEs to improve the quality of their products," Director General of Foreign Trade Diah Maulida said on the sidelines of her visit at Krebet village in Bantul district to hand over production means worth Rp700 million to small scale wood, stone and bamboo handicraftsmen.
This year the Trade Ministry was focusing the assistance on SMEs belonging to the category of the creative industry which had the potential to export products such as the handicraft industry, she said.
"We are trying to give SMEs easy access to export their products, for instance, through collective exports. In this way, one container may contain products from a number of handicraftsmen," she said.
Kemiskidi, owner of the Peni Gallery, asked the government to help promote and market his products.
"So far, we have sold our products through sales agents. We ask the government to help organize exhibitions so that we will not merely become handicraftsman but also export our products on our own," he said.
Data from the Bantul district administration show nearly 10 percent of the local population of 811,000 are employed in the handicraft industry.
"In 2007 their number fell by 13-14 percent after an earthquake hit the region in 2006," Riyanto, second assistant for development to the Bantul district head, said.
To date, the district has an estimated 17,000 SMEs which have the potential to export their products.
The district's handicraft exports have so far gone to Germany, Australia, Taiwan and The Netherlands.
In 2006, the district's exports were valued at US$23 million and fell to US$20.2 million in 2007.
