I

ndonesia will launch the "I Love Indonesia" logo, a move to encourage Indonesians to love and appreciate locally made goods and services, Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu said Thursday.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is set to launch the logo on April 22 as a way to respond to the global economic downturn that has hit local industries hard, Mari said.

The move, Mari said, should not be translated as meaning support for protectionism, "It is more to encourage people to love and appreciate locally made goods and services."

The growth of domestic industries in the first quarter of 2009 is estimated to be between 1 percent and 1.5 percent lower than forecast, said Industry Minister Fahmi Idris.

Fahmi said in February that industries in 2009 might expand between 3.6 percent and 4.6 percent on average during this year.

"In terms of volume, (tons of commodities) exports might only contract by 10 percent or less," said Mari while the value of exports might contract by up to 30 percent in 2009, but less if prices recovered.

According to the Finance Ministry the value of exports contracted by 39 percent during quarter one.

The fall in exports and industrial growth has encouraged government to push harder to promote locally made products.

Fahmi said the government would talk to retail players to encourage them to display locally made products. "We will discuss about it. The solution will be *through* business to business schemes," he said.

He added the textile industry was the most affected by the global economic downturn, while the food and beverages sectors and the electronics industry could cope relatively well with the slowdown.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has repeatedly encouraged ministers and businesspeople to use locally made products, particularly shoes.