Batang Regency Government Encourages Every District to Develop Signature Products
The Batang Regency Government, Central Java, is encouraging every district to develop and highlight its own signature products. Strengthening products based on local character is considered a potential driver for economic growth and a means to strengthen regional identity.
The Head of the Batang Regency Department of Industry, Trade, Cooperatives, and SMEs, Wahyu Budi Santosa, stated that the unique character of each area can provide added value in product development and community economic activities.
“Therefore, we appreciate the organisation of expos at the district level as a marketing tool for MSMEs, including local products,” said Wahyu in Batang on Saturday.
According to him, expo activities can serve as a platform for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to introduce their products while gaining access to broader markets.
One such example is the Wonotunggal Expo and the 2026 Sanggar Merti Desa Art Performance, held at the Wonotunggal Alun-Alun Green Open Space from 28–30 August. The event, themed “Senandung Karya Muda,” featured 50 MSME and village stalls.
The committee provided dedicated space for local products originating from 15 villages within the Wonotuggul District. These products were exhibited alongside various MSME goods to introduce the economic potential growing at the village level to the wider public.
Wahyu assessed that the MSME products displayed at the Wonotunggal Expo 2026 were already quite good. However, he noted that entrepreneurs still need to make improvements so that local products become more competitive, particularly regarding packaging and quality.
“I see that the products here are already good, but they need a touch in terms of product packaging. As for quality, we must continue to elevate it,” he said.
Improving packaging is considered vital because product quality alone is insufficient to win market competition. Packaging is the first thing consumers notice and can strengthen the identity and selling value of local products.
The Batang Regency Government previously emphasised that flagship village products should not merely be viewed as economic commodities. Local products are also seen as the identity and strength of a region that must be continuously improved through quality, innovation, and marketing.
This strengthening will be carried out through human resource mentoring, institutional strengthening, product legality and standardisation, digital promotion, and the expansion of marketing networks. The Regency Government is also encouraging collaboration between local government, village governments, Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes), MSMEs, the community, and the banking sector.
The economic potential of the Wonotunggal Expo is already becoming apparent. The initiator of Sanggar Merti Desa, Tatik Setyaningsih, noted that the economic turnover during the 2025 activities reached approximately Rp500 million. The committee hopes that this year’s turnover can surpass that achievement.