The provision of raw materials must maintain forest sustainability, the production process must be low-carbon, the economic benefits must be gained by lower-class communities
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo has asked furniture businesses to improve the quality of their products for the global market, maintain the sustainability of forests as the source of raw material supply, and implement low-carbon production activities.



"The provision of raw materials must maintain forest sustainability, the production process must be low-carbon, the economic benefits must be gained by lower-class communities," Widodo said at the 2021 International Furniture Expo (Ifex) Virtual Showroom on Monday.



The domestic furniture industry must be able to increase competitiveness in the global market, he stressed. However, the competitiveness of the industry must not be limited to just the quality of products, but also the values that are upheld firmly, beginning from the production process, he said.



The President then urged furniture industry players to commit to pursuing sustainable and environmentally friendly development, encouraging low-carbon production, and distributing economic benefits in an inclusive manner.



“That is my (message) to the furniture industry players. This spirit must be upheld firmly because financing schemes and markets will increasingly require the spirit of sustainable development," the President pointed out.



The Ifex virtual exhibition is a strategic arena for producers in the upstream and downstream sectors of the furniture industry, as well as potential buyers on both the national and global scale, he said.



"Not only to meet, but what is more important is to make transactions," he added.



The global market is no longer limited, Widodo noted. Indonesia could be the right arena for an international exhibition like Ifex, given the country is rich in furniture raw materials, has a variety of arts, and has a very large market capacity, he said.



"I expect that the 2021 Indonesia International Furniture Expo Virtual Showroom will be a momentum for the revival of the furniture and handicraft industry that refers to the spirit of sustainable development," the President remarked.



Translator: Indra Arief P, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021