For REGENCY PROFILE/July 23

For REGENCY PROFILE/July 23

Home to export-oriented handicraft products

There are several outstanding industrial centers in Bantul
regency, particularly in small-scale undertakings and popular
handicrafts. For example, the earthenware and ceramics centers
in Kasongan and Pundong, leather goods in Manding, wood carving
and wood batik in Pajangan, and batik in Imogiri and Pandak.

Wooden furniture, meanwhile, is made and sold in virtually
every village. These centers provide numerous employment
opportunities for locals.

On a larger scale, an industrial estate has been developed in
Piyungan district. The governor of the Yogyakarta Special
Province has given his approval for the establishment of this
estate by virtue of his decision No. 143/3446/2002. To date two
leather-processing companies have invested in this estate.

As many as 22,570 people are employed in the industrial and
handicraft sector. Most of them, however, are laborers enjoying
only a small added value, as the bigger part of this added value
goes to the brokers and merchants.

But efforts continue to boost production and the added value
of small and medium-scale industrial undertakings, by means of a
program to promote the growth of household and small and medium-
scale industrial enterprises. This will be done through loans,
the diversification of products optimizing the regional
investment agency, the development of small-scale industries,
credit monitoring, as well as a study for the preparation of the
construction of warehouses in the industrial estate.

There is also a program to improve the technological
capability of small-scale industrial and handicraft undertakings,
with the provision of technical guidance and training, enhanced
treatment of the waste of small and medium-scale industries, the
promotion of industrial and handicraft products through the
Internet and road shows, and the construction of craft centers to
provide information for the marketing of industrial products.

In general, industrial enterprises in the Bantul regency are
small-scale industrial and handicraft undertakings, with the
number of large-scale industrial enterprises still small.

According to data from 2000 on the number of businesses in
each type of industry, in respect to the metal and mechanical
industrial centers, there were 17 business units for jewelry,
scales, ironworks, kitchen knives, welding and metal and wooden
crafts, with a total investment of some Rp 180 million. And there
were 1,246 business units in the category of small-scale
industrial enterprises for roof tiles, floor tiles, earthenware
vessels and ceramics, with investment totaling Rp 572 million.

Meanwhile, there were 251 business units with a total
investment of Rp 143 million in the handicraft industry,
including batik, kain songket (cloths embroidered with bits of
gold or silver thread), garment making, embroidery, leather
goods, decorative inlaid work, woodcraft and kris-making.

As for industrial enterprises based on agricultural and forest
products, such as those making tofu, krecek (buffalo skin
processed for eating), geplak (Central Javanese sweet cake),
emping mlinjo (chips made of Gnetum gnemon), beancake, coconut
oil, coconut palm sugar, krupuk (chips made of flour flavored
with fish or shrimp), cassava chips, crispy chips made of
beancake, cassava starch and kue satu (sweet cookies that melt
when put into the mouth), there are 590 business units with
investment totaling over Rp 335 million.

Decorative inlaid work

Decorative inlaid work is an outstanding craft in the Bantul
regency. There are two centers for this craft, namely in
Wukirsari village, Imogiri district, and in Bangunjiwo village in
Kasihan district.

Wukirsari, a village some 17 kilometers to the south of
Yogyakarta, comprises 16 hamlets and has a population of 15,300.

About 75 percent of the villagers are craftsmen or inlaid
decoration makers. In this village, inlaid decoration is a craft
that has been practiced since 1918.

The craftsmen have developed a great variety of inlaid
decorative designs for leather puppets, lamp shades, fans,
calligraphy, partitions, visiting cards and many kinds of
household utensils and souvenirs. Some 60 percent of the products
are exported to among other countries Greece, Turkey, Japan and
Singapore.

Another center for this inlaid decoration work is in Gendeng
hamlet, Bangunjiwo village, Kasihan district, some seven
kilometers to the southwest of Yogyakarta, or to be exact, some
three km to the west of Kasongan, the earthenware craft center.

Bangunjiwo has a population of 18,500 people, most of whom
work in 52 inlaid decoration craft units, making similar products
as found in Wukirsari. Most of the products are also exported, to
the United States, Australia and France, among others.

Earthenware

Kasongan earthenware craft centers are found in Kasongan
hamlet, Bangunjiwo village, Kasihan district, and also in
Pundong. About 85 percent of the products are now exported.
Tourists are very fond of the designs of Kasongan and Pundong
products, a reason why these centers are also known as tourist
hamlets.

Aside from the creatively innovative designs, Kasongan and
Pundong earthenware vessels have gained great popularity because
the earth used in their creation is of excellent quality and the
workmanship is professional. The earth is given enough heating to
ensure that the earthenware products can withstand very cold or
hot weather.

Domestic and foreign tourists generally come to Kasongan on
Sundays and on holidays, as it is only about five kilometers to
the west of Yogyakarta. Because the earthenware products, now no
longer confined to household, enjoy strong demand they are suited
to market tastes. Luckily, a number of artists and cultural
activists have also improved the skills of the local craftsmen in
terms of design and workmanship, a reason why most earthenware
products are now of export quality.

Woodcraft

Woodcraft centers are found in Krebet hamlet, Sendangsari
village, Pajangan district, and also in Pucung hamlet,
Pendowoharjo village, Sewon district. In Krebet there are nine
craftsmen with 132 laborers, while in Pucung hamlet there are 31
craftsmen with 318 laborers.

Most of the products are exported, and some are dispatched to
Bali, Jakarta and other regions across the country. Total
woodcraft production in Krebet is valued at Rp 1.95 billion
annually, while in Pucung it is Rp 6.5 billion.

These woodcraft products include, among others, wooden puppets
of various kinds. These craftsmen also make masks from gambier or
limestone, as well as wooden masks with batik coloring. The wood
used varies from sengon, pule jaranan or mango wood, and comes
from many areas. The products are exported to, among others,
Holland, France and Canada.