Furniture, handicrafts exhibition opened here<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Director General for Agricultural and Forestry-
\nbased Industries Sujata yesterday opened a furniture and
\nhandicraft exhibition at the Jakarta Convention Center, which
\nwill continue until June 9.<\/p>\n
\"Our furniture and handicraft exports have remarkably
\nincreased during the last ten years,\" said Sujata at the
\nexhibition's opening ceremony, which was also attended by
\nMuhammad (Bob) Hasan, chairman of the Indonesian Furniture
\nIndustry & Handicraft Association.<\/p>\n
During the January to November period last year, exports of
\nfurniture and handicrafts amounted to US$1.6 billion or about 6
\npercent of the total exports of Indonesia's industrial products.<\/p>\n
\"Ten years ago, furniture and handicraft exports were recorded
\nonly at $60 million,\" he noted.<\/p>\n
In 1999, at the end of the current Five Year Development Plan,
\nIndonesia expects furniture and handicraft exports to reach $12
\nbillion or 22.2 percent of Indonesia's total industrial exports.<\/p>\n
Bob Hasan said that furniture and handicraft producers are
\nstill facing a number of obstacles in exporting their products.<\/p>\n
\"The procedure of exporting furniture and handicraft products
\nstill takes a long time. Sometimes it takes weeks before they can
\nexport their products,\" he said, adding that ideally, it should
\ntake only two days.<\/p>\n
He also cited that furniture and handicraft trading is still
\ndominated by brokers, particularly those from abroad.<\/p>\n
\"Sales through the brokers still account for more than 50
\npercent, thereby leaving the producers with a very small profit
\nmargin,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Eighty furniture and 20 handicraft producers from all over
\nIndonesia are participating in the 10-day exhibition. (13)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/furniture-handicrafts-exhibition-opened-here-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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