G20 an opportunity for MSMEs to show off products: Masduki

I have traveled around Indonesia, and MSMEs products are a match against industry products and even custom products. This becomes an advantage because they are rare. The rarer they are, the better

Indonesia’s G20 Presidency is a major opportunity for cooperatives and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to show off and promote their products, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Minister Teten Masduki has said.

Therefore, the SMEs Ministry held the G20 side event Telkomsel Pasar Nusa Dua as the first event to promote Indonesia’s primary MSME products, he informed in a statement issued on Saturday.

G20 is an international forum comprising 19 nations who work together to handle major issues. Indonesia is chairing this year's forum.

In addition to various meetings under the Sherpa and Finance tracks, Indonesia’s G20 Presidency has also held several side events, such as Telkomsel Pasar Nusa Dua.

Through the side event, the ministry aimed to promote well-curated artisan products as part of an effort to prepare MSMEs to compete in the global market, Masduki said at Bali Collection, where the event was held.

The primary products included culinary, wellness, and fashion products.

The advantage of artisan-made products is that they are capable of fulfilling the people's demand, have a unique appeal, and cannot be mass-produced, the minister said.

"I have traveled around Indonesia, and MSMEs products are a match against industry products and even custom products. This becomes an advantage because they are rare. The rarer they are, the better," he remarked.

Moreover, he said he expects the promotional event within the series of G20 activities to establish MSMEs as Indonesia’s main economic power.

In addition to utilizing the nation’s cultural and artistic richness, which is the source of MSMEs’ strength, the minister will also prepare future MSMEs based on innovation and technology.

"The road map already exists. We have already prepared for this, and now we only need to form a collaboration with all parties," he informed.

During the event, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said that he will encourage businesspersons from various nations at the Business 20 (B20) forum to observe Indonesia’s MSMEs.

"I already had a Zoom talk with the Chinese government and talked about MSMEs. MSMEs not only produce food, but also high tech (products), and even electric cars," he informed.

"Everything will be equal and I think that we can grow MSMEs together," he remarked. (IInf