Trade Minister Zulhas Asks Modern Retail Joint MSMEs To Expand Markets Abroad

Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) asked modern retail businesses to expand market access to foreign countries by cooperating with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as suppliers of superior Indonesian products.

Zulhas said, if later these modern retailers open outlets abroad, then products made by Indonesian MSMEs can be marketed through these outlets.

"If modern retail is open abroad, MSMEs can entrust their products," Zulhas said as quoted by Antara, Friday, October 28.

Zulhas explained, world markets such as in South Asia have enormous potential and should be utilized by modern retail businesses in Indonesia.

With this large market, he continued, it has the potential to help stimulate Indonesian MSMEs.

According to him, as an example, there is a modern Indonesian retail company that already has more than 1,000 outlets in the Philippines. Indonesian MSME products are expected to be accommodated by these modern retailers.

"We hope that modern retail will accommodate the results of MSMEs. Products can come from a number of areas such as Malang City. It is supplied from MSMEs, so it is equally profitable. MSMEs can develop, modern retail can also get big benefits," he said.

Zulhas added that the Ministry of Trade had discussed the plan to modern retail players in Indonesia.

He also asked modern retail players to help develop existing MSMEs.

"I have discussed this with modern retail owners, and they agree. We are formulating a medandag so that modern retailers foster, help and supply the existing MSME stalls," he said.

MSMEs in remote parts of Indonesia, he continued, are also expected to get touch from modern retailers such as coaching and including logistics supplies to MSME players.

"I ask modern retailers, logistics must supply MSMEs in villages and hamlets that are close to them. MSMEs are now holding hands with marketplaces, with digital platforms. Then also collaborate with modern retailers," he said.

The Ministry of Trade is also targeting 1,000,000 MSME traders to enter the digital sector in the 2022-2024 period.

This target is to accelerate Indonesia's advanced and inclusive economic growth.

Indonesian MSMEs are considered to have great potential to accelerate the digital transformation of the trade sector and contribute to the growth of the digital economy, considering that in Indonesia there are more than 64 million MSME actors.