Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasamita called on the furniture and handicraft industry in the country to expand export markets by entering non-traditional market countries. This was according to the minister in front of participants of the 3rd National Conference (Munas) of the Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Industry Association (HIMKI) in Jakarta, Wednesday as an effort to anticipate the lack of improvement in traditional export markets affected by the global economic recession. So far, the US and Europe are the largest markets for national furniture and handicraft products, but if you pay attention to the declining demand for traditional markets (US and Europe), where both regions experience very large inflation. According to the Minister of Industry, in 2023 until June the export value of national furniture and handicrafts will reach 1.1 billion US dollars. Meanwhile, the furniture industry as one of the agro industry sub-sectors contributed 1.3 percent with a performance value of 2.5 billion US dollars. In addition to continuing to increase the export market, furniture industry players are also expected not to leave the domestic market.
On this occasion, the Minister of Industry emphasised that HIMKI as an association of the furniture and handicraft industry, in order to continue to synergize with the government and other associations in achieving export value targets and efforts to meet domestic needs for furniture and handicraft products. Currently world economic conditions have not recovered due to geopolitical conditions, however, demand for furniture and handicraft products continues to grow with major supplier China currently leading as the world's largest exporter of furniture products. The US and European markets are the largest markets for national furniture and handicraft products, however, market demand in both regions is declining.
