It needs to continue to be carried out to encourage MSMEs to go global and increase their competitivenessJakarta (ANTARA) - Several products made by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) assisted by state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina sold out at the recent Tong Tong Fair in The Hague, the Netherlands.
The fair was held from September 1–11, 2022, after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foods from Dapur Bunda Duri, De Harvest Jaya, and Bakul Jamu Euis, as well as fashion products of Cetak Godhong and Dela Tapis, Sasirangan, and handicrafts made by Joglo Ayu Tenan and Bahalap were among the products that proved a draw for visitors.
Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mayerfas, welcomed the participation of Indonesian SOEs, which brought a number of MSME products to the annual Tong Tong Fair.
“It needs to continue to be carried out to encourage MSMEs to go global and increase their competitiveness,” he said, according to a statement released by Pertamina.
He also lauded the effort made by the SOEs Ministry to open the Roemah BUMN pavilion to enable several SOE-assisted MSMEs from Indonesia to exhibit their products at the fair.
Pertamina showcased 175 types of superior products from various cities of Indonesia at the fair, including Yogyakarta, Balikpapan, Dumai, Banjarmasin, Pontianak, Lampung, and Tomohon, Sulawesi.
Products from the fashion, handicrafts, and food sectors were selected through a fairly long process after being curated based on product quality criteria that were in accordance with the needs of the global market.
"I am proud that the rubik balado product could pass the curation to the Netherlands, (it) can make the city of Duri Riau proud, which previously did not have regional specialties," said Diah Novi Wulandari, owner of Dapur Bunda Duri, an MSME assisted by Pertamina since 2020.
Wulandari, who currently has more than 15 employees and more than 70 MSME partners in Duri, did not expect her products to be of interest to residents of The Hague and surrounding areas. However, her products sold out in less than a week.
Besides rubik balado, Cetak Godhong’s ecoprints also found a place in the hearts of visitors.
"What I never dreamed of was that my product could participate in the Tong Tong Fair in the Netherlands," said Endah Hariyani, owner of Cetak Godhong.
Cetak Godhong makes environmentally friendly handmade products by printing fabrics using natural dyes and making motifs manually using leaves.
The use of leaves from various types of plants as motifs and natural coloring lend the products an exclusive air since no product has the exact same design.
Vice president of CSR & SMEPP at Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, said showcasing MSME products at the Tong Tong Fair 2022 was a complete success.
"The fostered partners provided quality local products that had very high artistic and cultural value. We got a lot of visitors with a fairly significant number of sales. All visitors seemed to enjoy the product offerings and were enthusiastic about the lucky dip draw that we gave," she informed.
Fajriyah said she hopes that the Tong Tong Fair would accommodate the hopes and aspirations of Pertamina-assisted MSMEs as well as encourage the entrepreneurs’ spirit of independence and spur them to become strong and professional players.
In collaboration with the trade attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in the Netherlands, Pertamina-assisted MSMEs’ products are currently on display at the House of Indonesia, a one-stop shopping showcase that provides everything from products to information for prospective European business players.
"This promises a great opportunity for MSEs to expand their overseas marketing reach," Fajriyah added.
The involvement of MSMEs in the Tong Tong Fair was a form of the SOEs' support for achieving the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Point 8, namely decent work and economic growth, which is being realized through funding and coaching programs for SMEs.
This is part of the social and environmental responsibility push for realizing economic benefits for the community and driving the national economy.
Through MSME programs and the spirit of “Energizing Your Future,” Pertamina is striving to continue to encourage all MSME partners to level up and go global.
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Reporter: Yashinta Difa Pramudyani
Editor: Sri Haryati
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