JEC to host export expo

YOGYAKARTA: As many as 75 handicraft producers from across the country are participating in the five-day exhibition The 9th Jogja Export Expo (JEE) 2004, from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC). Minister of Trade and Industry Rini Soewandhi officially opened the exhibition on Wednesday.

According to the chairwoman of the JEE 2004's organizing committee, Indah Rahayu M, handicraft products from around the country are exhibited at the event, which is hoping to generate significant business transactions during over the course of five days.

"To achieve this, we have invited a number of foreign buyers, including from Latin America, Italy, Japan, Brazil, the U.S. and Indonesia's neighboring countries," said Indah, who hopes the event will also encourage the local business community to improve its promotional activities.

"Promotion is vital in the marketing of handicraft products. No matter how good a product is, if it is not promoted, buyers will never know about it, much less buy it. It is through promotional events like this that a product is introduced to consumers," she said. -- JP