Trade Minister Zulhas Asks Local Entrepreneurs To Be More Aggressive In Exporting

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan/ Photo: IST

JAKARTA - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan asked business actors to be more productive to strengthen Indonesia into a developed country. According to him, with high productivity, business actors will produce works that can penetrate the international market. This was conveyed by Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan at the Muhammadiyah Industrialization Movement (Gerai) Business Meeting in Semarang, Central Java. The event with the theme 'The Muhammadiyah Movement to Create Fanatism of Association Products' was also attended by the Chairman of Muhammadiyah, Central Java, Tafsir.

"Indonesia cannot become a developed country if its products do not invade the world. To invade the world, the people must be productive. Productivity will produce works that can storm the international market," said Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, in an official statement, Sunday, October 16.

Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, said that the government is obliged to foster and pave the way so that business actors can enter the global market, especially the new market. For this reason, said Zulhas, the government is making trade agreements with non-traditional partner countries, one of which is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is a breakthrough as a toll road so that Indonesian business actors can invade the South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

"The road to the market of partner countries such as the Middle East is full of obstacles. With trade mission cooperation agreements for Indonesian business actors can enter the Middle East market through the UAE at a rate of zero," he said. The Ministry of Trade, continued Zulhas, also held trade mission activities to partner countries. In this trade mission, the Ministry of Trade will invite Indonesian business actors who have flagship products. "The Ministry of Trade has trade representatives abroad such as the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center and Trade Attaches in more than 30 countries that will facilitate business actors to prepare selected products in trade mission activities and participate in international exhibitions," he said. Zulhas revealed, world economic growth is experiencing a slowdown. Previously, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a revised world economic growth projection. In 2022 it is estimated that the world economy will only grow by 3.2 percent and will slow down to 2.7 percent in 2023. "Indonesia is still growing positively. This is supported, one of which is the economy of Central Java which grew 5.66 percent above the national growth of 5.44 percent in the second quarter. In addition, Indonesia's trade balance in January-August also experienced a surplus of 34.92 billion US dollars," he said.

Furthermore, said Zulkifli, he appreciated the business meeting event held by Muhammadiyah, Central Java.

"This is a concrete and productive step and it is hoped that this activity will be an example for others," he said.