"In 2017 cellphone imports were down to 11.4 million units with domestic cellphone production reaching 60.5 million for 34 brands including 11 local brands," Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto said here on Saturday.
The local brands include SPC, Evetcoss, Elevate, Advan, Luna, Andtomax, Polytron, Mito, Aldo, Acioo and Zyrex. The minister said that national products have already had strong branding for medium and low class level market.
The industry ministry recorded in 2013 cellphone imports reached 62 million units worth US$3 billion while domestic production reached around 105,000 for two local brands.
The government has produced a regulation to reduce imports and boost domestic production and as a result in 2014 imports dropped to 60 million while domestic production rose to 5.7 million.
In 2015 imports further dropped by 40 percent to 37 million worth US$2.3 billion while domestic production jumped 700 percent to 50 million for 23 local and international brands.
In 2016 imports again dropped by around 36 percent to 18.5 million units worth US$775 million while domestic production rosr 36 percent to 68 million units.
"As Indonesians we must be proud with products produced by domestic industries," minister Hartarto said.
The increasing competitiveness of national cellphones will strengthenthe positive image and popularity of the products, he said.
Domestic cellphone industry has recorded a fast growth in the past five years due among others to government efforts in spurring the development of the telecommunication and informatics sector.
"The increasing cellphone production in Indonesia follows among other things conducive improving business climate, downstream industrial development and optimization of local components to increase added value," the minister said.
Reported by Sella Panduarsa Gareta
(H-YH/S012)
(TZ.SYS/B/KR-BSR/S012)
Reporter: SYSTEM
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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