TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan outlined the supports that the government is providing to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at the closing event of the Indonesian District Government Association's (Apkasi's) Autonomy Expo (AOE) 2022.

MSMEs have contributed 61 percent to the national economy and absorb 97 percent of the manpower. Therefore, the ministry has developed a "toll way" to allow MSMEs to grow faster, he said.

In the domestic segment, the ministry would develop one million MSMEs through various government programs such as smallholder business credit (KUR), he said in a statement issued on Saturday.

MSMEs will also be developed through mutually beneficial collaboration with major entrepreneurs, he added.

Hasan said that he is communicating with retail entrepreneurs with networks reaching villages to invite them to cooperate in supporting MSMEs.

"We certainly support the existence of these large retail businesses and we will not disturb them," he remarked.

"They have logistical warehouses in the districts in each province, and we will mandate their form of support through the Trade Minister’s Regulation that we are pushing now to help the surrounding shops," he added.

In the overseas segment, the ministry is also cooperating with international parties to open a new distribution lane.

"In the past, our hub was centered in Singapore to reach European and American markets, and it is already good," the minister informed.

"We will now create a new hub through Dubai. Through this hub, we can market products to the Middle Eastern and African markets," he added.

At the expo on Saturday, the minister lauded the annual exhibition, which was thronged by visitors, and invited people to be grateful since Indonesia has managed to get through two years of the pandemic.

"This exhibition is important to introduce our primary products," he said.

"From this exhibition, we can receive data on buyers and investors which we can follow up to turn them into major consumers," he added.

ANTARA

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