JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic and all policies regarding activity restrictions issued by the government have prevented people from moving freely. In fact, forcing people not to travel or vacation. They also divert their vacation budget allocations to beautify their homes by buying furniture products.
Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said the furniture and handicraft industry during the COVID-19 pandemic was able to survive and be saved due to changes in people's spending patterns. The money that people usually use for vacations is now being diverted to the needs of arranging and renovating homes.
"One of the factors is a significant reorganization of people's household spending. As a result of the pandemic, namely the transition from entertainment tourism, transportation to other sectors such as technology products, household needs and home renovations," he said at the Indonesia International Furniture Expo (Ifex) Virtual Showroom. , Monday, September 20.
Agus said, online shopping activities during the pandemic also supported an increase in furniture sales, both in exports and in the domestic market.
"This can be seen from the export performance in 2020, furniture products which have increased by a value of 1.91 billion US dollars or an increase of 7.6 percent from 2019 which is worth 1.77 billion US dollars. Indonesia's largest export destination country in 2020 is America , Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany," he said.
Agus continued, specifically the furniture industry during the COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 experienced a fairly large contraction, namely minus 7.28 percent. However, in the first quarter of 2021, the furniture industry has risen and grew positively by 8.04 percent.
"The pandemic test that we are still facing today requires us to continue to make smart and effective innovations so that the industry can continue to survive and develop in this regard, especially in the furniture and handicraft industries," he said.
Previously, the Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi said that the quality of Indonesian furniture and handicraft products had been proven. Therefore, it is not surprising that this commodity is well received by various countries in the world.
"Indonesian furniture and handicraft products are one of the mainstay exports whose quality has been recognized and has dominated the global market from the United States, the Middle East, to Japan," he said.
Furthermore, Lutfi said that during the period from January to August 2021, the export value of Indonesian furniture products managed to record a year-on-year increase of 29 percent to 1.88 billion US dollars.
"In the same period, the value of our handicraft exports also grew 23 percent to 5.8 billion US dollars," he said.
Lutfi hopes that the IFEX Showroom 2021 event can encourage the Indonesian furniture and handicraft industry to be active again during this COVID-19 pandemic. He also hopes that the event will be a success.
"As well as being able to help encourage the economic sector while promoting Indonesian furniture and handicraft products to the global market. I also invite furniture and handicraft business players to participate in the success of the 36th Indonesia trade expo which will be held virtually from October 21 to December 20 2021," he said.
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