Healthy Lifestyle Is Getting Trendier, The Minister Of Industry Calls The Sports Industry Again Rising Leaves

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said business players in the sports equipment industry must take advantage of the healthy lifestyle trend that has recently been carried out by many people in the country.

Agus said this trend made the industry market for equipment, clothing and sports footwear continue to grow.

"We have to take advantage of the momentum of a healthy lifestyle in Indonesia, which is now an increasing trend and I am sure that this healthy lifestyle interest will never drop its trend. This means that the market will continue to grow," Agus said when opening the 2024 Indonesia Sport and Active Wear (ISAW) Exhibition at the Ministry of Industry Building (Kemenperin), Jakarta, Wednesday, July 31.

The purpose of holding this exhibition is also to boost the growth of the sports equipment industry, especially the finished clothing and footwear industry.

"ISAW 2024 is a tangible manifestation of the role of the Ministry of Industry to spur the development of the sports equipment industry and its supporting industries," he said.

In addition, the 2024 ISAW Exhibition is also held to support the Great Design of National Sports (DBON) which aims to strengthen and advance the sports sector in the country.

He also said that there are three industrial sub-sectors that support the sports sector, including the sports clothing industry, the sports footwear industry and the sports equipment industry.

In terms of the sports clothing industry, Agus assessed, now more and more local brands are producing sports clothing using superior features at competitive prices. It's just that, he said, local brands have not been able to seize the dominance of international sports clothes in the Indonesian market.

"The more local brands produce sports clothes with a lot of superior features, elastic, light, comfortable, breathable sports clothes, easy to absorb sweat, dry quickly with varying colors and models," he said.

It is known, the export value of this industry during January to May 2024 reached USD 1.86 billion US dollars, an increase of 1.04 percent from the same period the previous year. "However, I hope that more people will be able to know and use domestically made sports shoes," he said.

Lastly, there is the sports equipment industry. According to Agus, Indonesia has good potential to develop this industry.

The sports tools that have now been produced and exported include shuttlecocks, football, volleyball, tennis tables and other sports equipment used in sports activities in local competitions, such as the National Sports Week (PON), Indonesia Basketball League (IBL), Pro Liga and international sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup.

The export performance of the sports equipment industry in the period January to May 2024 reached 107.4 million US dollars, which contracted by 4.4 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

According to Agus, the sports equipment industry is still facing competition problems with international brands.

"It takes foresight and the right strategy to win sports equipment competitions, especially in foreign markets," he concluded.