Kaesang Supports MSMEs To Advance In Class When Visiting Dodol And Skin Factorys In Garut

Chairman of the DPP Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Kaesang Pangarep had a dialogue with dodol factory workers in Garut City, West Java, Monday (9/10/2023). ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi

PSI DPP General Chair Kaesang Pangarep supports micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to "upgrade" when he visited a dodol factory and a skin processing plant in Garut City, West Java.

According to Kaesang, one of the strategies that can improve MSME businesses, including helping the marketing (branding and marketing) of MSME products through collaboration with ambassadors (dubes) in friendly countries.

"These MSMEs want to be assisted by the Government from side branding and marketing so that they can advance to class, maybe this can be done one way to coordinate with ambassadors in countries to market, say dodol, let alone leather jackets," said Kaesang as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, October 9.

Actually, he continued, this could be done by traveling to ambassadors who really wanted to promote MSMEs from regions in Indonesia.

In a series of political safaris in West Java, Kaesang and a group from PSI visited several MSMEs in Garut, one of which was a dodol factory.

Dodol, processed glutinous flour, brown sugar, and coconut milk, is a typical food of Garut. The dodol manufacturing industry has grown since the 1920s. In approximately 1 century, the dodol industry, the majority of the MSME scale, has mushroomed in Garut.

At a dodol factory in Garut, Kaesang goes around to see firsthand how to make this typical snack, starting from the time the glutinous flour is processed to the final stage of packaging.

The factory owner, who accompanied Kaesang, said the price from the factory per box was around Rp. 3,500.00.00, until the retail level could reach Rp. 5,000.00' Rp. 10,000.00.

Not only dodol became Garut's icon, beef skin crafts were also one of the leading cities called Switzerland van Java Indonesia.

At the skin processing plant, Kaesang also received an explanation from the factory owner regarding skin processing ranging from washing, coloring, drying, to distribution to handicraft centers spread across Garut City.

The ready-to- sew skin is used as material for making jackets, various bags, wallets, and belts.

Since serving as PSI General Chair for approximately 2 weeks, Kaesang has been actively traveling around areas where people and PSI cadres meet. During that time, Kaesang visited Bali, Solo, and Yogyakarta, then several areas in West Java such as Bandung City, Bandung Regency, Garut City, and Tasikmalaya.