Trade Ministry identifies 2,616 potential villages for export program

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Trade has identified 2,616 villages across the country for the Exportable Villages Program (Desa Bisa Ekspor), which aims to expand the national exporter base and promote regional products in international markets.

The ministry's Director of Export Development for Services and Creative Products, Ari Satria, said the program is part of the government's efforts to build a regional export ecosystem by identifying the unique potential of each village.

"Since primary products are often produced in villages, we are conducting an activity called Exportable Villages, together with the Ministry of Villages," he remarked in a statement on Sunday.

He explained that the identified villages are then grouped based on their level of export readiness, allowing assistance to be tailored to their individual needs.

"So far, we have identified 2,616 villages across Indonesia. We group villages based on their export readiness, ranging from those already prepared to export to those with strong potential that still require further development," Satria noted.

Besides mapping villages' potential, his office also provided facilitation for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by acting as an intermediary with foreign buyers in the initial stages.

This way, the government links MSMEs with aggregators or off-takers to support product development and marketing.

It also continues to strengthen mentoring programs to help MSMEs meet the export requirements of destination countries.

Satria also stressed the importance of business actors understanding the various requirements imposed by export markets, including food safety, halal certification, and other regulatory standards.

According to him, the approach will strengthen MSMEs' confidence and improve product readiness for international markets.

The government expects more villages to develop their flagship commodities into value-added export products, expanding the benefits of international trade to local communities.

"That is what we are pushing. The potential for exports remains strong," he stated.

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Translator: Adimas Raditya, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Azis Kurmala

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