The first lady made the statement in her speech at the commemoration of National Batik Day at the Jetayu square in Pekalongan city, Central Java.
"Batik industry`s development is in line with women`s empowerment and welfare," the first lady said, adding that involvement of women`s employment in the batik industry was very high because the majority of batik makers were women.
To keep batik as a cultural asset in Indonesia, Ani said the love of batik should be inculcated from an early age in the younger generation.
"Let us continue to encourage our young women to intensively produce batik and be able to market it," the first lady said.
Ani Yudhoyono and her entourage arrived in Pekalongan on Monday morning aboard a special train from Jakarta to attend the National Batik Day observation function.
Her entourage was made up of Madame Herawati Boediono as the United Indonesia Cabinet Wives Solidarity (SIKIB) chairwoman, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, and Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu.
National Batik Day is commemorated every October 2 and this year it is centered at Jetayu square in Pekalongan, Central Java.
Besides attending the National Batik Day, the First Lady and entourage will also visit a batik exhibition, batik museum, and the Pesindon batik tourism village.
According to Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik, Indonesian batik products are better than those imported from China and Malaysia.
"Our handmade batik products are better than those from China and Malaysia because they had been printed. Therefore we don`t have to worry about imported batiks," Wacik said.
The culture and tourism minister noted that his office would continue to promote Indonesian handmade batik products other countries to make Indonesia best known as home of batiks.
(Uu.O001/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
