In future, the OVOP approach for SMEs will focus on aspects that can support SMEs to go global.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Industry Ministry has encouraged small- and medium-scale enterprises to penetrate the global market through the One Village One Product (OVOP) approach to promote the regional economy through unique products.

"In future, the OVOP approach for SMEs will focus on aspects that can support SMEs to go global, especially in terms of market access, image building, and product development that fit in line with the market demand," the ministry's Director General of Small, Medium, and Multifarious Industries, Gati Wibawaningsih, stated here on Thursday.

Wibawaningsih reiterated that the government had continued to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs.

According to Wibawaningsih, some products certainly had some distinctive factors, such as the raw material, uniqueness, and local wisdom highlighting the regional background, thereby making them competitive and helping to boost local economies.

With Indonesia’s cultural and natural diversity, all regions in the country hold potential to be developed in order to have a comparative advantage.

"We open a wider room for collaboration to improve the competitiveness of SMEs in the OVOP Program and open wider opportunity for Indonesian products to exist in both national and international markets," she stated.

In 2013, the ministry had bestowed the OVOP Award for SMEs meeting a certain criteria. The second OVOP Award was conferred in 2015.

In 2018, the third award was bestowed on 112 SMEs, including those engaged in producing food and beverage, batik, and wickerwork.

The OVOP movement began in Oita Prefecture, Japan, in 1979 when the then-governor Morihiko Hiramatsu advocated the program. It encouraged people in a region to produce one competitive product with high added value to compete in the global market. The product should maintain its local characteristic by using local resources.

Indonesia, through the Ministry of Industry, has implemented the OVOP program since 2007, with the objective of promoting the potential of the small and medium craft industry. Related news: Govt aims to expand aid, cover 20 mln micro businesses: VP
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Translator: Sella P Gareta, Sri Haryati
Editor: Suharto
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