SME expo organized to boost local products

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A five-day expo featuring the products of more than 300 small and medium enterprises will open Wednesday in a new trade center in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

The annual event, which will take place in Mall UKM on Jl. KH Mas Mansyur, has been organized by the city administration for the second time to boost local products.

The expo will offer handicrafts, batik clothing, garments, furniture, souvenirs, accessories, leather products, herbal products and food and beverages.

Fashion shows, musical performances and talks on SME will also be held during the event, which will open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Head of the Jakarta Cooperative and SME Agency, Mara Oloan Siregar, hopes the expo will benefit both entrepreneurs and visitors, while at the same time promote Mall UKM, which accommodates more than 500 SMEs in its six-story building.

"We hope the expo will provide the chance for entrepreneurs to meet local and foreign buyers," Siregar said Monday, adding the expo would also allow participants to get to know their customers' tastes and needs.

Siregar said SMEs play an important role in the country, constituting 99.98 percent of the total economic players, with 90 percent of the economic activity in Jakarta involving SMEs.

"That's why such an event is important to boost local products, especially when many people now prefer to buy imported products," he said.

He added the expo and the new trade center would offer buyers cheaper prices, as the latter could purchase items directly from the producers.

"We guarantee customers will get high quality products at reasonable prices," he said.

For example, Siregar said, batik clothing that is sold at Sarinah Jaya department store for around Rp 750,000 (US$ 81) a piece can be purchased at the UKM Mall for only Rp 250,000 a piece.

Siregar said his team carefully selected the participating entrepreneurs. The participants had to pass several assessments before they could display their products in the expo and run their businesses in the mall for a period of two to three years for free.

"We selected those who are hardworking, persistent, target-oriented and who have the ability to produce high quality items."

He said one of the constraints facing SMEs is finding places to promote their products. Taking part in an exhibition is costly and entrepreneurs are only able to promote their products there for a few days.

"That's why we provide free-of-charge spaces for the SMEs to display their products in the mall, where people can go everyday," he said.

One of the entrepreneurs participating in the expo is Lindawati, who runs a marquisa (passion fruit) syrup business. Before the mall was opened, she had been selected by the city administration to participate in an exhibition in China.

"I had the chance to promote my products on the international market and got some export offers," said Linda, who started her business in 1998.

"This is much better. I used to take my products from one shop to another," she said, adding the city administration also provided her and other entrepreneurs with several workshops on marketing, management and technology. (dia)