Mark Plus assists villages

Mark Plus assists villages

JAKARTA (JP): East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman has hired
consultancy company Mark Plus to promote economic activities in
villages in the province.

Soedirman said East Java had promoted rural economic
activities, under a program called "The Return-to-Village
Movement", for a year but the program had not been effective.

The consulting firm had visited several villages to observe
production activities, quality management, packaging, promotion
and the marketing of several main products, he said.

Herbs from Madura and leather handicrafts from Tanggulangin,
Sidoarjo were the main products needing assistance from Mark
Plus.

The herb had a well-known name but it was poorly distributed
in markets, while leather products from Sidoarjo were of export
quality but needed commercial brand names to make them more
acceptable on the international market, he said.

"We are assisting and training about 2,000 craftspeople under
the promotional program," Basofi said. (10)