Certification Of IKM Products For Import Requirements Is A Complaint For IKM In Padang, Minister Of Trade Zulkifli: We Accommodate

The Indonesian Trade Minister, Zulkifli Hasan discussed with IKM players in Padang City. (ANTARA/HO-Novrial)

The Minister of Trade (Mendag) Zulkifli Hasan accommodated input and complaints from a number of Small and Medium Industry (IKM) players in Padang City, West Sumatra, to find concrete solutions. "There are several inputs and complaints from IKM players in Padang. We accommodate this and find a solution so that in the future they can continue to develop and can penetrate the export market," said Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan in Padang, Antara, Sunday, July 7. He said that after meeting and discussing with about 30 IKM actors consisting of IKM randang, other processed foods, fashion and souvenirs in Padang. Zulkifli said the complaints from IKM actors were related to certification of IKM products as export requirements, and facilitation of retail export mechanisms for small-scale IKM. The IKM actors also complained about the absence of promotional display facilities in the regions, the lack of promotional agendas for superior products, and asked for the support of the ranks of the Ministry of Trade abroad (Indonesian Trade Promotion Center/ITPC and the Indonesian Embassy's Trade Attache) for the promotion of superior IKM products. Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said that his party would review the continued support for human resource development through the Export Coaching Program (ECP) which has been implemented for two years in West Sumatra. "We will also try facilitating promotions through the Trade Export Indonesia event and exploring the possibility of collaborating on promotional displays with Dekranasda," he said. Meanwhile, the Head of the West Sumatra Industry and Trade Office, Novrial, said the Export Coaching Program (ECP) program is a mentoring program for export-oriented business actors which is carried out with seven stages for approximately eight months to one year. The purpose of this mentoring program is so that business actors are able to run their export businesses effectively so that they can export independently. He said that in 2023, the ECP program in West Sumatra was attended by 30 selected participants. As a result, after participating in the program, as many as 16 participating IKMs immediately executed their exports that year.

According to him, in 2024, 30 selected participants will be participating in the ECP program. It is hoped that the number of exporters from West Sumatra will increase.