T

he Trade Ministry is looking to improve exports experiencing slow growth through the upcoming 30th Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI), the country'€™s largest trade exhibition.

Pradnyawati, the ministry'€™s director of promotion, said the exhibition was expected to house some 2,000 Indonesian companies that would offer their products to at least 15,000 international and local buyers and visitors.

'€œThe expo is a strategic promotional event to seize chances in the global market for Indonesia'€™s top products and services,'€ Pradnyawati told a press conference on Wednesday.

She added that the event, which is to be held on Oct. 21-25 at the Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, would feature booths of companies from various sectors, including manufactured goods and services, furniture and furnishings, food and beverages, agriculture and lifestyle.

The ministry is hoping for at least US$1 billion in transactions at the expo, slightly lower than last year'€™s achievement of US$1.42 billion, comprising $814 million of goods purchased, $105 million in services and $500 million in investment.

In an effort to boost the transactions, Pradnyawati said the ministry would optimize the role of the trade attaché and the overseas office at the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) through tailored programs to attract potential buyers to the event.

Trade delegations from several countries were expected to attend the event, she said, with return visits for investors from China, Japan, Australia, South Africa and India.

The exhibition will also feature a 500-meter square pavilion, called Pride of Indonesia (POI), displaying top-quality local goods and services from the biotechnology, downstream agro-based, mining, automotive, IT and creative industries, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

Alongside the event, Pradnyawati said the ministry would hold a trade and investment forum and a one-on-one business matching program to mediate exhibitors and global buyers.

'€œThere will also be an ASEAN pavilion providing information on Southeast Asian countries ahead of the ASEAN Economic Community,'€ Pradnyawati said.

The exhibition is also part of the ministry'€™s efforts to achieve its export growth target of 300 percent in the next five years, requiring a whopping 60 percent increase per year.

The country'€™s monthly exports rose slightly in June, but not enough to stop first-half figures remaining well below target.

According to Central Statistics Agency'€™s (BPS) data, exports in June rose by 5.91 percent to $13.44 billion on a month-on-month (mom) basis from May, even though its year-on-year (yoy) performance dropped 12.78 percent.

Meanwhile, the country'€™s imports fell 17.42 percent yoy in June to $12.96 billion following a drop in non-oil and gas imports of 15.5 percent yoy and a 24 percent yoy decline in oil and gas imports.