Indonesia, JICA cooperate in promoting exports

JAKARTA (JP): The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Agency for Export Development (BPEN) have assigned a team to conduct a study on the promotion of six categories of the country's industrial exports, the head of the agency, Gusmardi Bustami, said on Friday.

Gusmardi told reporters that the study would cover textiles and textile products, food and beverages, wood and wood products, electronics and electronic parts, automotive parts and machinery parts.

He said the study program, called the Export Promotion Strategic Plan, would take about eight months and end in February. The study would come up with a set of recommendations for measures which need to be taken to bolster exports of the six groups of industrial products.

"The study will provide practical advice and guidance for our industries to compete in the world market through improvements in production technology, management and marketing," Gusmardi added.

Study team leader Naoyuki Teshima shared Gusmardi's views on the importance of competitiveness and a better marketing strategy to expand exports.

"The export industry is the locomotive for Indonesian economic recovery and plays a pivotal role in helping the country deal with its huge foreign debt burden," Teshima added.

He said the study team would investigate various factors related to the exporting of the target industries such as transportation, ports, taxation and customs.

He also said the team would provide technical advice to exporters on how to meet market preferences in Japan and Singapore and on how to penetrate the U.S. and European market.

Gusmardi also said that the 14th Export Product Fair, which would be held at the Jakarta Fair in Kemayoran from Oct. 20 to Oct. 24, expected 4,000 buyers from 100 countries.

Last year, he said, the five-day trade display attracted 2,799 buyers from 99 countries and recorded US$71.2 million in export transactions.

The agency, he added, coordinated Indonesia's participation in 32 international trade fairs in Asia, Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and Africa in 1999 and for 2000.

The study program is being carried out by the Japanese Sanwa Research Institute and Consulting (SRIC) Corporation, which is experienced in similar research in Malaysia and will focus on export promotion. (01)