TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo urges batik designers to innovate their designs in order to penetrate the global market since Indonesia targets US$100,000,000 in batik export throughout 2023.
“For novelty, let’s go back to the designs, to new colors. I believe our batik could be used for carpets and interior designs, and these innovations would boost the batik brand to the next level,” said Jokowi in Senayan Park, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, August 2, 2023.
Jokowi reported that the batik export value in the January to April 2023 period reached US$26.7 million. He’s optimistic to surpass that number at the end of the year since the Pandemic threats are over. With the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, batik designers and entrepreneurs have had the opportunity to expand their crafts since Indonesia started to hold more international and national batik-related events.
“This provides great momentum to recover since our economic growth is positive, even in the first quarter and second quarter last year, and we hope to boost them next year,” said Jokowi.
Meanwhile, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita shared President Jokowi’s vision concerning batik export. “According to Statistics Indonesia, our batik export value in 2022 reached US$64.56 million, and while the number was small, it increased 35% from 2021. The export value from January to April 2023 reached US$26.7 million from the overall target of US$100 million, and we will gradually increase it slowly but surely,” said Agus.
Agus said that batik is fashionable and a high-value art, gaining interest in the export market for its ability to be worn in formal and casual settings. So far, Agus mentioned, batik is centered in four geographical points in Indonesia, namely Yogyakarta’s batik tulis (written batik), Bengkulu’s batik, Pekalongan’s batik sarong, and Indramayu’s Congkrongan Batik.
“Ministry of Industry and Indonesian Batik Foundation gathers batik communities to submit their products to the Law and Human Rights Ministry. There are two more products submitted, namely Solo’s slogan and Tuban’s batik. We are hoping the batik industry could transform to be more sustainable,” said Agus.
M. JULNIS FIRMANSYAH
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