Sri Mulyani: Herbal Medicine Entrepreneurs Can Be Big In The Middle Of A Pandemic

Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani. (Photo: Instagram @smindrawati)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati revealed the opportunities open to the herbal medicine industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This opportunity is certainly supported by changes in consumer behavior in Indonesia due to the pandemic, in which people tend to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Sri Mulyani admitted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, public spending has decreased. However, not all. This is because there are several sectors whose consumption has actually increased.

Among other things, shopping for basic goods, household needs, to purchasing vitamin supplements and medicines.

"This data can certainly give hope that now people in a situation facing a pandemic want to have a healthier lifestyle and consume things that can increase immunity," he said, in a webinar, Monday, November 30.

The state treasurer also hopes that this industry can be more advanced, along with public knowledge and the emergence of various scientific studies, that herbal medicine or traditional medicine can increase body resistance in addition to having medicinal properties.

Moreover, in Indonesia there are more than 1,247 herbal and traditional medicine industries, most of which have small business scales.

"Therefore, in my opinion, herbal and herbal products in Indonesia have a tremendous opportunity to be developed," he said.

During this pandemic, said Sri, the government provided various incentives ranging from taxation to procurement of raw materials. Meanwhile, for industries that have export potential, the government also provides assistance both in terms of capital and technical through the Indonesian Export Financing Agency (LPEI). Of course, this includes the export-oriented herbal and traditional medicine industries.

"This is something that not only strengthens the human body, but also the Indonesian economy. We need to continue to encourage various activities that are Indonesia's excellence including herbal products because Indonesia is a fertile country, the land can grow various kinds of biodiversity which is an extraordinary asset," he said.