Indonesia, JICA cooperate in promoting exports

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)