Furniture, Crafts Export Target Set at US$2.9bn
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11 March 2019 17:55 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Industry Association said the furniture export target for this year is set at US$2 billion. HIMKI secretary-general Abdul Sobur said the target was almost achieved several years ago, but it did not happen as several companies left the association.
Abdul said that some companies left HIMKI because at the time the minimum wage in East Java was raised by a high margin.
"So [the target] was corrected by US$300 million to US$1.7 billion. And there were other regulations that might have prevented [the target from being achieved]," Sobur said at the Jiexpo Kemayoran Jakarta, Monday, March 11.
The Indonesia International Furniture Expo or Ifex 2019 is held from March 11 to 14. The exhibition was opened by Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto, who hoped for an increase in furniture export.
Read: Ministry Boosts Furniture, Craft Industry Sector
"The target from this expo's sales is US$300 million," the minister said.
On the same occasion, HIMKI chairman Soenoto said in the future Indonesia's export target could be raised to US$5 billion per year.
Soenoto said he would do what was necessary to reach that goal, one of them by "developing the market through exhibitions both overseas and in the home country."
MUHAMMAD HENDARTYO