President Jokowi launches 2023 IFFINA Expo & Design at the ICE BSD City, Tangerang, Banten province, Thursday (09/14). (Source: screenshot)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has encouraged domestic furniture industry players to collaborate with furniture entrepreneurs from abroad.
“We have to open up opportunities to partnering with furniture companies from abroad, be it from Europe, America, or China. Be open and willing to partner up,” said the President at the opening of the 2023 Indonesian Furniture Industry and Handicraft Association (IFFINA) Expo & Design at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD City, Tangerang, Banten, Thursday (09/14).
He expressed belief that this partnership will increase opportunities for furniture industry players in the country to fill the global market. He also revealed that out of the potential furniture market which reaches US$766 billion, Indonesia will only be able to fill a very small portion of around US$2.8 billion in 2022.
“Indonesia is ranked 17th behind Vietnam which is ranked 2nd and Malaysia which is ranked 12th. In fact, our resources (raw materials and human resources) are actually very ready. I remember in the 1990s when we exhibited abroad, whether in Germany, Italy or France, we seemed to dominate, but now how come we are at number 17. There is something we really have to fix. In my opinion, because we don’t want to partner with other countries,” he said.
President Jokowi added that the country’s furniture industry has advantages in terms of raw materials and human resources which if taken seriously will increase the competitive edge of domestic furniture products.
“We should be grateful that Indonesia has advantages, both in terms of raw materials, human resources, and also the richness of our arts and culture. This is our main capital in the furniture industry, so I am sure that if we work on it seriously, this industry will become our flagship,” he said.
Furthermore, President Jokowi also emphasized the Government’s commitment to continue encouraging the domestic market so that it will not be dominated by furniture products from abroad. The President revealed that government spending through the state budget, regional budget, and state-owned enterprises (BUMN) in 2023 will reach Rp1,236 trillion, including furniture spending.
“Chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Furniture and Art Industry Dedy Rochimat said that approximately US$1.1 billion or Rp17 trillion budget for furniture is mostly filled with imported furniture. Therefore, immediately list our domestic furniture products into the e-catalog. This means that the ball is on all of you. Open yourself up to partnering and take over 100 percent of the domestic market,” he said. (EST/MUR)
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