REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON -- Indonesian rattan products try to regain the German market by participating in Germany's international furniture expo "Internationale Mobelmesse" (IMM) 2014 in Koln city between January 13 and 19.
Minister Counselor for Social and Cultural Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin Ayodhia Kalake stated on Friday that IMM 2014 was one of world's largest and best furniture exhibitions.
He noted that furniture as well as interior design producers and consumers from all over the world await this world class exposition year after year.
Through the IMM 2014, Indonesian rattan-based products, which were considered to be excellent export commodities to Europe 20 years ago, were expected to regain their market in Germany.
The presence of Indonesian rattan products in Germany was marked by the participation of a number of Indonesian small-and-medium scale businesses in the exhibition.
Their participation in the exposition was due to the cooperation between the directorate general of agro-industry of the Ministry of Industry, the Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Business Association (AMKRI), Indonesian-German economic association (Ekonid) and other related agencies.
Buyers from more than 100 countries attended the buyer gathering for Indonesian rattan products. They were entertained with cultural performance and were served various Indonesian foods.
The embassy's interim Charge D'affaires Siswo Pramono, while opening the Indonesian pavilion stated that the participation of the Indonesian rattan products in various international exhibitions of late indicates the success of Indonesia in cultivating its natural resources in a sustainable manner.
In the meantime, Indonesian Director General for Agro-industry Panggah Susanto pointed out that the Indonesian government always paid great attention to the aspects of environmental sustainability.
He added that the Indonesian government was well aware of the fact that handicraft industry provided ample job opportunities to several workers. Therefore, the government always tried its best to make its handicraft products available to the world market.
To make its products acceptable to the European market, the government has been putting in every effort, including imposing a wood legality verification system (SVLK) and the conclusion of an agreement with the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade - Voluntary Partnership Agreements (FLEGT-VPA).
The imposition of the two legal instruments was expected to open wider market access for Indonesian furniture and handicraft products, particularly wood-based goods, in the world market.
Indonesian businesses taking part in the exposition expressed optimism that the public in Germany will extend a warm welcome to the presence of Indonesian products in the exhibition.
They believe that in a not-too distant future, Indonesian products will win the hearts of the public in Germany and other European countries as they did 20 years ago.
Indonesian products offered in the expo included rattan, timber, bamboo and metal based products.
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