Though time for small-scale businesses<\/p>\n
By Joko Sarwono<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): M. Soleh, 74, a small-scale
\nentrepreneur and horticulturist dealing in plant seedlings from
\nBojong Gede subdistrict, complains that since 1990 his business
\nhas been quite sluggish. "My business is not only suffering, it's
\non the verge of collapse," he said at the Bogor Regency
\nDevelopment Exhibition.<\/p>\n
The exhibition, which took place at the regional
\nadministration office compound in Cibinong, opened Friday and
\nended yesterday. It was open to the public free of charge between
\n8 a.m. and 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Today, he said, was way different from his golden period
\nbetween 1968 and 1988. "During that time I frequently took part
\nin exhibitions like this one. I could pocket Rp 30 million at
\njust one exhibition. My wife, who did sales at home, earned
\nbetween Rp 600,000 and Rp 700,000," he said.<\/p>\n
Everything is in reverse now. "In the past I used to be able
\nto sell a plant and could buy 100 seedlings in return. But now I
\ncan't even sell one plant during a week. When I do sell one, the
\nmoney is just enough to buy cigarettes," he said, adding that he
\ncould smoke five packs of cigarettes a day.<\/p>\n
According to him, the change in business was attributable to
\ntwo factors. First, the amount of competition. "Years ago, there
\nused to be only four people in the seedling business in Jakarta.
\nHowever, since 1989, more and more people have taken up this
\nbusiness," he said.<\/p>\n
Second, he said, plots of land were getting smaller in urban
\nareas. City people only bought a few plants. "Since there isn't
\nmuch land available, where will wealthy people plant trees?," he
\nasked. To be able to plant many trees, he said, one had to find
\nan open space away from the city.<\/p>\n
"Besides, you have to pay people a lot of money to plant
\ntrees," he said, sounding hopeless. "If anyone ever shows
\ninterest, I will sell him all my plants and then try my luck in
\nanother business," he said emphatically.<\/p>\n
To make ends meet, Soleh earned money from other businesses as
\nwell. "I sell soft drinks and rent out nine, small barrack-like
\nhouses," he said.<\/p>\n
Craftsman<\/p>\n
Also speaking about business competition at the exhibition was
\nNanang, 38, a craftsman from Gunung Putri subdistrict who makes
\nhousehold appliances and children's toys out of aluminum and
\nother materials. He complained of the influx of factory-made
\nproducts.<\/p>\n
"Kitchen utensils and children's toys are usually made in
\nfactories where machinery is used. I only rely on traditional
\nequipment. Obviously I lose out to competition," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that it was clear from his shrinking income that
\ncompetition was strangling his business. "In the 1980s, I was
\nable to earn between Rp 500,000 and Rp 600,000 a month, but now I
\ncan only manage between Rp 250,000 and Rp 300,000," said Nanang,
\na father of five. His income now, he said, was just enough to
\nsurvive.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, there are months when his products sell well.
\n"Usually two months before Idul Fitri (the Moslems' post-fasting
\nfestival) my products sell well, he said. During that period he
\nearns between Rp 500,000 and Rp 600,000 a month.<\/p>\n
Yet, Nanang still cannot enjoy his boosted income during that
\nperiod. "I use the money to pay off debts from previous months,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Aja, 40, an ornamental stone maker from Jasinga subdistrict,
\nalso experienced difficulties in marketing his products. The
\nreason, he said, was because there were not many buyers. "Only
\nthose with upper incomes can afford the stones. People of middle
\nand lower incomes would probably prefer spending Rp 50,000 on
\nrice rather than on ornamental stones," he said.<\/p>\n
However, not many well-off Indonesians buy his products.
\n"Customers are mostly foreigners, particularly Koreans and
\nTaiwanese," he said.<\/p>\n
He makes and sells his stones at his home. Buyers go to his
\nhouse to buy or place an order. "If buyers come, I sell my
\nproducts. If no one comes, well then...I just sit tight," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He therefore could not estimate what his average income was.
\n"If there are many buyers, I can earn a lot. However, if there's
\nhardly anybody coming here, I can barely earn enough to buy
\ncigarettes," he said.<\/p>\n
At the exhibition, he hoped to meet new wealthy buyers. "What
\ncounts is a buyer with a lot of money. I can find ornamental
\nstones for people in whatever form and in whatever quantity," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
"I've even looked for raw materials for ornamental stones in
\nrivers in Jasinga, Garut, Ujungkulon, Solo and Riau, for
\ncustomers," he said.<\/p>\n
Apart from the participation of individual small-scale
\nbusinessmen, the development exhibition also had government
\nagencies\/services, state-owned companies, companies owned by
\nregional administrations, cooperatives, small private firms and
\nlarge private companies such as Bimantara and Indofood
\nparticipating at the event.<\/p>\n
Government agency stands disseminated information about
\ndevelopment in Bogor. They provided data and development trends
\nover the past five years, spokesperson of Bogor regency
\nadministration, Denny M. Moechry, said.<\/p>\n
Anniversary<\/p>\n
The exhibition, he said, was staged in conjunction with
\nNational Reawakening Day and was one of a series of activities
\ncarried out to celebrate the 515th anniversary of Bogor. "The
\nexhibition was actually late. It should have been in May to
\ncoincide with National Reawakening Day on May 20," he said.<\/p>\n
However, as everybody was busy gearing up for the general
\nelection, they had to postpone the exhibition. "We had
\ninstructions from the central government not to carry out any
\ncommunity activities during the general election period," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The exhibition, held at a cost of Rp 15 million, was
\nhighlighted by supporting activities, such as a contest for the
\nbest stand, a poster contest, quizzes and performances by popular
\nartists. "Besides providing information, the exhibition also
\nprovided entertainment for people," he said.<\/p>\n
Traditional and contemporary entertainment took place every
\nnight from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. "Traditional entertainment included
\nthe mask dance from Cisalak and the Jipang dance from Cigudeg,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Roy, 19, and Nur, 24, workers of a bag factory in Cibinong,
\nvisited the exhibition for fun. "We just wanted to kill some time
\nhere. Better than sitting at home," Roy said.<\/p>\n
Agust Sugianto, 32, a bachelor from Surabaya who has lived in
\nBogor four years, was a different case. "Every year I visit the
\ndevelopment exhibition to keep track of Bogor's development from
\nyear to year," he said.<\/p>",
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