"This year, for the very first time, Harbolnas will include some e-commerce platforms -- Tani Hub, Brambang.com, as well as Sayur Box -- that provide agricultural products.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's National Online Shopping Day (Harbolnas) 2019 on December 11-12 will, for the pioneering time, also offer local agricultural products, Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto stated at the day's launch in Jakarta, Monday.

"This year, for the very first time, Harbolnas will include some e-commerce platforms -- Tani Hub, Brambang.com, and Sayur Box -- to provide agricultural products," Suparmanto remarked.

Harbolnas targets to familiarize local products through online selling since Suparmanto believes that they can compete with import products owing to their quality.

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Hence, during this 9th edition of Harbolnas, the government has set aside an entire day on December 11 to promote products of local and small-and-medium-enterprises (SMEs) to the shoppers.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Trade has encouraged e-commerce providers to hold their own special day for local products, for instance, on a day at the start of the month.

"It is expected to boost the growth of SMEs and simultaneously introduce Indonesian products to the world," Suparmanto explained.

Head of the Indonesian E-commerce Association (idEA) Ignatius Untung expounded that three platforms selling agricultural products to participate in this year's Harbolnas are the ones that positively responded to the offer to join the annual event.

"Time is mostly a pressing factor in the preparations for Harbolnas, i.e., one or two months before the day. Moreover, unicorn e-commerce platforms sometimes reconsider joining the event over concerns of being adequately ready," he stated.

During Harbolnas, all 265 e-commerce platforms will offer some mega discounts and free shipping for buyers, while Bank Mandiri and LinkAja will provide the easy pay option in a bid to encourage cashless transactions.

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Translator: Ade Irma Junida, Suwanti
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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