Small-and-Medium Industry
(IKM) played an important role in national economic development. The IKM
industry was evidently shock-proof against global economic crisis. In addition
to that IKM was able to accommodate employment and stimulated equal
distribution of people’s income. Based on data of the Ministry of Industry
today there were around 3.8 million units of IKM in Indonesia, 75% of them were
spread out in Java and 25% were outside Java.
Therefore, considering the importance of IKM’s role, some
programs had been run such as channeling of People’s Business Credit (KUR)
advancement of technology through rejuvenation of machineries and assistance in
patenting application. Advancement of human resources skill and competence
through trainings and nurturing, while quality assurance and safety of food
must be enhanced, in order to expand market access. The Minister of IKM of the
Ministry of Industry continued to encourage IKM players to apply for patent for
intellectual rights. In regard to the use of patent for IKM products, the
Directorate General of IKM, Ministry of Industry had exempted patent expenses
for UKM products.
The Director General of IKM Eusis Saedah in Jakarta on
Thursady (9/8/2012) underscored that the Government exempted expenses for IKM
products in applying for intellectual rights for their products including
patenting, branding and designing of products she believed that the exempting
was important to enhance creativity of producers at home amidst heightening
competition “We hope there will be more small industries who will patent their
products since they are freed of the expenses” Euis remarked.
Euis admitted that awareness among IKM players in
patenting their products were still low. This was visible from the number of
IKM who had patent today. She mentioned that the patented products constituted
only around 1% of total national IKM products. To support the program, Euis
said the Government planned to prepare a special budget of Rp 2 billions to
nurture and guide local IKM and apply for patent in 2003. Part of the fund
would be used for publicizing the plan to IKM and telling them the importance
of patenting their products. She also promised to extend legal aid to UKM who
were troubled in legal disputes.
Other problems faced by IKM according to Euis was marketing.
She said that today it was hard for IKM products to enter shopping centers or
mall, moreover to think that the tax might come to 40%. She disclosed that the
Ministry had discussed the problem of high Tax with management of malls.
Unfortunately they had not arrived at any point of agreement and was still
negotiating toward arriving at a meeting point.
Euis saw that shopping centers today were still selling
more imported products. An yet she said, the Ministry of Industry sets target
for IKM growth in 2012 to reach two digits. She explained that in Semester I
2012 IKM growth broke through 7.22 percent. To overcome the problem, promised
to activate IKM expo organizing. For this year the Government had allocated
budget of Rp 1 million for staging exhibitions in 2012. She remarked that expo
activities was to encourage IKM players to increase production and enhance
creativity.
While increasing sales in the domestic market, Euis
added, the Ministry of Industry would also promote export of IKM products. She
said that today export of IKM products constituted only 2% - 3% of total
national non oil-gas export. Next year the export target would be increases to
5%. Euis rated that the global economic crisis would have no great impact on
export of IKM products. Only a few commodities were affected by the global
crisis. “not too many products suffered the impact of global crisis only some
products like textile, leather and footwear were affected” Euis concluded.
Business News - August 13, 2012
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