Businesspeople Push for Aceh to Become National Furniture Industry Base Outside Java

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Industry Association (HIMKI) is pushing for Aceh to become one of the main national bases for the furniture and handicraft industry outside Java island.

This step is considered strategic to expand industrial growth centres while reducing dependence on Java.

HIMKI’s General Chairman, Abdul Sobur, stated that Aceh has significant potential in terms of raw material availability, cultural richness, and human resources that can be developed into strengths for a value-added industry.

“Aceh has a strong foundation to grow as a furniture and handicraft industry centre. What is needed now is consolidation among industry players, good governance, and connectivity to national and global markets,” Sobur said in a press statement on Thursday (16/4/2026).

Kliwon is regarded as a senior figure with extensive experience in the rattan-based furniture and handicraft industry in Aceh. He is expected to serve as the driving force for industry consolidation at the regional level.

According to him, developing the furniture and handicraft industry in Aceh can be an important strategy for national economic equity. Additionally, this sector has great potential for creating jobs, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

“This industry is not just about products, but also an ecosystem involving many parties from upstream to downstream. This makes it strategic for regions like Aceh,” Sobur continued.

He also emphasised the importance of synergy between industry players and local governments, both at the provincial and regency/city levels, to introduce supportive policies for industry growth based on local potential.

In the national context, HIMKI is pushing to enhance the competitiveness of Indonesia’s furniture and handicraft industry to compete with countries like Vietnam and China, which currently dominate the global market.

By strengthening potential regions like Aceh, HIMKI is optimistic that Indonesia can expand its production base while increasing the export contribution of the furniture and handicraft industry in the coming years.

“We must build more new growth centres outside Java. Aceh is one of the strong candidates for that,” he stated.