Cross-border e-commerce platforms are expected to help improve Indonesian exports as the government is organizing Indonesia Trade Expo (TEI) Digital Edition to help promote local products to global market.

 

Trade Ministry National Export Development director general Didi Sumedi said the Indonesian government continues encouraging the use of trade digitalization one of which is through e-commerce.

 

“This forum is a medium for executives at the Trade Promotion Organization in Asia region to exchange information and ideas on the government’s efforts to support potential sector. Aside from that they can also discuss the use of digitalization to support business amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” Didi said during the opening ceremony of Asian Trade Promotion Forum (ATPF) CEO Meeting 2021 on Tuesday (26/10). The event was held virtually.

 

The trade ministry calls on Trade Promotion Organization leaders to collaborate in using the digital technology to help speed up economic recovery during this new normal era.

 

Citing the ministry data, Didi said the value of e-commerce transactions in Indonesia this year grew sharply at 48.38 percent year on year to USD27 billion. It’s not only consumers that shift to only shopping. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) players also shift to using e-commerce to promote their products.

 

As of August 2021, around 16 million SMEs in Indonesia have offered their products through e-commerce.

 

Cross-border B2B e-commerce platform Madeinindonesia.com has also become a choice for many SMEs to display their products and to have access to global market. A tuna exporter from Bali has used this B2B platform to meet demand from a buyer in Vietnam and Thailand. The foreign buyers have also made repeat orders.

 

At that occasion, Didi introduced some e-commerce that can be utilized by Indonesian SMEs to go global. They are Archipelago (www.archipelago-store.com), Indonesia Store (idnstore.tw) and ASEAN Online Sale Day (onlineasean.com) .

 

The presence of these three platforms, and of course, Madeinindonesia.com, will help connect Indonesian SMEs with foreign buyers, either B2B or business to consumers during the pandemic.

Aside from encouraging the use of marketplace by the SMEs, the trade ministry also supports SME business development through various programs that make use of digital technology such as virtual business matching in collaboration with 32 Indonesian trade representatives overseas and the Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI) Digital Edition from Oct. 21 to Nov. 4, 2021.

 

“It is hope that the presence of the export-oriented tech platforms and export-related programs held by the government will increase opportunity and facilities for SMEs to promote their products and open wider access to global market,” Didi added.

 

The meeting was attended by 21 TPO discussing annual program of ATPF and other joint programs. Several panel discussions also took place  bringing themes “Potential Industrial Sectors & Strategic Efforts under the Prolonged Pandemic” and “Supporting SMEs in Optimizing E-commerce Technology”.

 

ATPF is a meeting of Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) in Asia that was established in 1987. Currently, ATPF has 23 members from across Asia, including those from Australia and New Zealand. ATPF CEO Meeting and Working Level Meeting are held annuallu to boost trade among members through exchange of information, cooperation project and network improvement.

 

Aside from that, ATPF also organizes other programs such as capacity building, joint exhibition and other joint cooperation.