Govt steps up support to help MSMEs navigate export regulations

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Trade continues to strengthen its support for Micro, Small, and Medium Snterprises (MSMEs) to enable them to meet various export requirements set by destination countries.

Director of Export Development for Services and Creative Products at the Ministry, Ari Satria, said that export regulations for primary products, such as food, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals, tend to be stricter than those for non-food products as they are directly related to human health.

"In export destination countries, the regulations concerning human health will naturally be more complex than if we were exporting furniture or handicrafts," Satria said in Jakarta on Sunday (July, 5).

According to him, business operators need to understand various requirements, ranging from food safety certification and halal certification to other standards required by each destination country.

"MSME players must be equipped with the appropriate certifications required by their respective export destination countries," he added.

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As well as providing training for business operators, the Ministry is also actively raising awareness of various new regulations emerging in the global market, including rules on sustainability and the environment.

Satria cited a number of policies that are currently of concern to exporters, such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which governs plantation products, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) related to carbon emissions.

"We must educate more of our exporters about overseas regulations. Not only MSMEs, but also large companies sometimes also need further understanding," he noted.

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Satria said the assistance is also facilitated through Indonesia's overseas trade representatives. They provide crucial insights into certifications and additional requirements before local products are introduced to foreign markets.

Those measures are part of the government's broader effort to enhance the readiness of national exporters, ensuring that Indonesian products do not encounter administrative hurdles or outright rejection when entering international markets.

"The duty of our trade representatives, in addition to promotion, is to gather market intelligence. They must understand the market potential, regulations, import tariffs, competitors, and even consumer behavior," he explained.

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Translator: Adimas Raditya, Uyu Liman

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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