Tanah Abang vendors favor big foreign buyers<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
The Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta is far from being a
\nconvenient place to shop. There is no proper ventilation and no
\nair conditioners, while the shops are small and cramped and
\npassageways are too narrow. But it is always crowded and among
\nthe loyal shoppers are a number of Africans.<\/p>\n
Vendors welcome foreign buyers as they usually buy goods in
\nlarge quantities and pay in cash, either in dollars or in rupiah.<\/p>\n
"I have often heard that some Africans might be involved in
\ndrug dealing here. But what's important to me is that I have
\nnever had a problem doing business with them," said one garment
\nvendor at the market, Elfahendri.<\/p>\n
He said that the African buyers often purchased dozens of
\ngarments from him, worth between Rp 200 million (about US$20,000)
\nand Rp 300 million for one transaction.<\/p>\n
Another garment vendor, Sampeno, said that his store could
\nmake up to Rp 800 million a month from dealing with the African
\nbuyers alone.<\/p>\n
Some of the foreigners even run outlets at hotels in the Tanah
\nAbang area, in which they deal exclusively with African buyers.<\/p>\n
At Fokus hotel, the first and second floors are divided into
\nsmall rooms that display various garments.<\/p>\n
Hotel manager Sulaiman, acknowledged that 90 percent of
\noccupants in his hotel were from African countries.<\/p>\n
A Nigerian businessman who runs two adjacent shops in the
\nhotel said that he usually spent between Rp 200 million and Rp
\n600 million per trip, in fabric shops at the Tanah Abang market
\nfor his garment business located in Bekasi. He usually shops for
\nfabrics twice a month.<\/p>\n
The shops and garment business in Bekasi are under the name of
\nhis Indonesian ex-wife whom he married in 1998 and divorced a few
\nmonths ago.<\/p>\n
The businessman who refused to be named, said that he entered
\nIndonesia on a business visa and must return to his country to
\nrenew it every few months.<\/p>\n
His garment business, where he employs 65 seamstresses, is
\nprofitable, he said, and running well.<\/p>\n
"I send some of the garments to Nigeria and also take orders
\nfrom my fellow African buyers," he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Another Nigerian businessman, Chidi Onw, claimed to bring in
\napproximately $65,000 in cash from each trip. He would spend
\naround $48,000 to buy garments, enough to buy around 18,000
\npieces from vendors at the Tanah Abang market.<\/p>\n
The goods are delivered to a cargo service company who pack
\nthe garments and send them to his country.<\/p>\n
"Alfindo cargo usually charges me $5,400 per container," he
\nsaid, referring to the company located across the street from
\nFokus hotel.<\/p>\n
At Alfindo cargo's warehouse, most of the packages bore
\nAfrican addresses, the majority bound for Nigeria, but the
\nAlfindo manager Hermawan, said he only sent a few shipments from
\nAfrican businesman.<\/p>\n
Staff at Fokus cargo, located at Fokus hotel, also claimed
\nthat they did not have many African clients.<\/p>\n
Business is booming at Tanah Abang market and the surrounding
\narea despite the country's ailing economy.<\/p>\n
According to data from city-owned market management PD Pasar
\nJaya, the annual turnover of Tanah Abang market reached Rp 90
\ntrillion in 2000, with 4,200 registered vendors.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tanah-abang-vendors-favor-big-foreign-buyers-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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