'Pasar Lebaran Jogja' offers alternative shopping
'Pasar Lebaran Jogja' offers alternative shopping
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
It is common knowledge here that when Idul Fitri (the celebration that marks the end of Ramadhan) comes around, shopping centers in the city, especially those along Jl. Malioboro and Jl. Solo, become very crowded.
The places are so busy that even to buy just a few packets of instant noodles one has to queue for hours. Not to mention the traffic jams along both these roads.
This situation inspired the provincial Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives Office to open Pasar Lebaran Jogja 2004 (Jogja Lebaran Market 2004), at the Jogja Expo Center (JEC) from Nov. 11 through Nov. 20, partly to reduce crowding during the Idul Fitri celebrations, or Lebaran, as it is known locally.
State Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Suryadharma Ali officially opened the market on Nov. 11. Over 100 traders are participating in the market.
Held in cooperation with the provincial Tourism Board and the local association of SME owners, the Lebaran market has on offer a variety of necessities for celebrating Idul Fitri, including staple foods, fashion products, electronic appliances and furniture.
All products on offer are at relatively lower prices compared with those at regular markets -- mostly 10 percent cheaper -- but of equal quality.
"A five-kilogram sack of good-quality rice, for example, is sold at Rp 15,000 here, while the same weight of slightly lower-quality rice is sold for Rp 14,000," Siti, a keeper of a staple food stall, told The Jakarta Post.
Apart from staple foods, other merchandise at the Lebaran market includes a variety of electronic goods such as cameras, tape recorders and television sets. Various herbal medicines, traditional medicines, and factory-made ones are also available at the market -- not to mention souvenirs made from a variety of raw materials and children's toys.
According to the head of Yogyakarta Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives Office, Syahbenol, the Lebaran market was held to provide a new shopping alternative for local people and visitors, which is predicted to total around one million this year.
According to Syahbenol, the market would hopefully create business tourism opportunities in the province, as well as provide a chance for the SMEs to develop.
"We also want to remind people that they don't have to go to Jl. Malioboro or Jl. Solo to shop. They can do so here at the JEC," Syahbenol said.
Market organizing committee chairman Tazbir told The Jakarta Post that the Lebaran market was targeted to achieve at least Rp 1.5 billion in transactions.
"The most transactions are expected from the furniture sector," said Tazbir, expressing optimism that the target would be fulfilled. Last year's Lebaran market totaled Rp 800 million in which 60 traders participated.
To keep prices at affordable levels, the organizing committee set a relatively lower rental fee for booths -- a maximum of Rp 1 million per booth for the 10-day market.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Suryadharma welcomed the effort, saying that the event could also serve as a promotion forum for SMEs and shorten the distribution chain, making it possible for them to sell their products cheaper.
"That way we will create a mutual benefit in which the consumers can buy products at lower prices, while the SMEs can promote their products," he said.
A buyer, Mifftahuddin, said that he was able to buy what he needed to celebrate Idul Fitri at the Lebaran market inexpensively, without compromising on quality.
"We also do not need to jostle and queue here, and I can select what I need to buy in comfort," Mifftahuddin said.