PONTIANAK – Governor of West Kalimantan encourges the small business people never stop to innovate.
“There are still some weaknesses from West Kalimantan small bussiness people, in terms of product display, creativity, and marketing models,” said him after opening an interactive dialogue for the 65th Anniversary of the West Kalimantan Provincial Government which carried the theme West Kalimantan MSME are Resilient in the Covid-19 Pandemic Period and Grow for Prosperous West Kalimantan, at Grand Mahkota Hotel Pontianak, Wednesday (9/2/2022).
“Later on, there must be a representative exhibition space to display West Kalimantan MSME products. Then, there is a training and discussion place for MSME players, online marketing places, and mini markets to sell MSME products,” explained H. Sutarmidji.
SMEs are expected not only to follow trends in business development, but must be able to seize as many opportunities as possible.
“One person sells coffee, then the other also sells coffee. Then, for example, MSME players in Kapuas Hulu Regency must be able to seize opportunities and attractive packing methods for red ginger and forest honey commodities, because it is the best quality,” said the Governor.
The packaging of West Kalimantan MSME products was still considered unattractive. Therefore, the West Kalimantan Provincial Government has submitted a Joint Production House Assistance to the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises of the Republic of Indonesia, so that West Kalimantan products can be packaged properly and attractively.
Access to capital is one of intervention by the West Kalimantan Provincial Government in helping MSME actors develop their businesses.
“The West Kalimantan Provincial Government will intervene on the problems faced by MSMEs, one of which is capital. MSME actors must be able to open access to banking, this is to develop their business, “hope H. Sutarmidji.
Small business people have a major contribution to West Kalimantan’s GDP, which is IDR800 trillion (61.97%) in 2020.
“MSMEs are also able to accomodate 97 percent of the workforce in the business world. In addition, the large and widespread number of MSMEs, their labor-intensive nature and the ability to survive in the face of various crises, provide a strong reason for the government and related stakeholders, such as banks, to work hand in hand and pay more attention to the development of MSMEs. The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing,” said the Governor of West Kalimantan.