Export agency to organize fair trips for SMEs

Export agency to organize fair trips for SMEs

JAKARTA (JP): The National Agency for Export Development
(BPEN) plans to organize trips this year for between 300 and 350
small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to participate in 46 trade
fairs worldwide.

"We are allocating Rp 5 billion ($526,000) for all the year's
international fairs," BPEN Chairman Gusmardi Bustami told The
Jakarta Post by phone on Thursday.

The money would be utilized to support exporters in renting
space for the exhibitions, Gusmardi said, noting that average
rental is around $300 per square meter.

The agency usually rented 100 square meters to set up an
Indonesian pavilion that could accommodate up to 12 exporters
with their products, he said.

"We can only assist in paying the rent. All other costs must
be borne by the participants," he said.

The 46 trade fairs to which BPEN has subscribed to this year
are in Asia, Africa, Europe, United States, Australia, New
Zealand and Middle East, Gusmardi said.

In at least 26 of these trade fairs, Indonesian participants
would be encouraged to open their own stands, while in the other
20 fairs, they could take part by sending their products to be
displayed at the Indonesian pavilion.

Last year, BPEN led Indonesia's delegation in 28 international
trade fairs, with participation from 219 SMEs. The larger ones
included the International Spring Fair and International Autumn
Fair, both in Birmingham, England and the World Exhibition EXPO
2000 in Hanover, Germany.

Gusmardi said exporters must be able to take full advantage of
their participations in these trade fairs in view of the huge
sums of money they would spend.

"The fairs give them opportunity to meet with potential buyers
and to gather information on market trends," he said.

BPEN is organizing trips mainly for SMEs because larger
companies were capable of organizing trips for themselves, he
said. (03)