Indonesian Craft Exports Improve, Inacraft 2023 Improves Marketing Of IKM Products

Director General of Small, Medium and Multifarious Industries (IKMA) of the Ministry of Industry Reni Yanita. Photo: Doc. Ministry of Industry

The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) supports the expansion of market access for small and medium industry players (IKM), including to increase marketing of national handicraft products, through the Inacraft Exhibition which has been held in Jakarta, on March 1-5, 2023.

"The Inacraft exhibition has been known as a forum for Indonesian craftsmen to exchange information, promotions, and opportunities for IKM to reap large sales transactions," said Director General of Small, Medium and Multifarious Industries (IKMA) of the Ministry of Industry Reni Yanita in Jakarta, quoted Wednesday, March 8.

Reni said that the Inacraft exhibition is also an opportunity to introduce superior handicraft products that highlight the design, innovation, characteristics, and uphold local regional wisdom, but remain global market-oriented.

"We should be grateful that the export performance of the Indonesian handicraft industry is getting better after the pandemic. The handicraft industry is also one of the important sectors in the Indonesian industry," he said.

The Ministry of Industry noted that the export value of national handicraft products reached 949 million US dollars, an increase compared to 2021 which only reached 916 million US dollars, throughout 2022.

According to Reni, Indonesia has abundant natural resources as well as creative human resources capable of processing these natural resources into handicraft products with high added value. "Of course, this is a matter of pride and needs to be maintained and developed," he said.

Therefore, the handicraft industry in Indonesia has considerable business potential, both in terms of production and market. Until now, it has recorded an Indonesian handicraft market share of around 2.5 percent of the world market.

Indonesia is known to have many handicraft-producing areas, such as Bali, Yogyakarta, East Java, and West Java, with main products in the form of woven and carvings.

"The market potential for handicraft products is still very likely to grow, with a fairly large share of domestic and foreign industrial markets, as well as the development of the Indonesian industry which continues to increase every year," he added.

The Directorate General of IKMA of the Ministry of Industry is known to facilitate the participation of seven handicraft and wastra IKMs in the 2023 Inacraft Exhibition. The seven facilitated handicraft and fashion IKMs include Bengok Craft, Hanuman Craft, Uleen, Lampung Ethnica, Batik Kartini, Miss Allyna, and Semilir.

The IKM facilitated is a leading actor who produces various fashion, decoration, and fashion products with local characteristics. In previous years, the Ministry of Industry also routinely facilitates handicraft and fashion IKMs to participate in the Inacraft event.

Meanwhile, Director of Industry Aneka and IKM Kimia, Sandang and Crafts, Ni Nyoman Ambareny ensured that his party would continue to provide guidance to handicraft IKM in order to increase its competitiveness.

In addition to facilitation in local and foreign exhibitions, the Directorate General of IKMA has also consistently carried out various technical guidance and assistance for IKM.

"Among them, assistance in order to improve HR capabilities and product diversification, facilitate engine restructuring to improve production technology, as well as online and offline promotional assistance through the IKM e-Smart program," added Ambar.

Not only that, the Directorate General of IKMA also continues to hold a partnership workshop and business meeting with major industries, related agencies, and other potential markets. There is also assistance for IKM to obtain product certification (SNI), HR certification (SKKNI), SVLK certification, packaging design, and intellectual property.

In Inacraft 2023, the Indonesian Handicraft Exporters and Producers Association (ASEPHI) as the organizers collaborated with the South Sulawesi Provincial Government with the theme The Authentic South Sulawesi.

In the last five years, Inacraft recorded an average of 30 thousand visitors per day with a transaction value of IDR 57.3 billion in 2022 and IDR 145 billion in 2019.