Minister of Industry Urges West Sumatera to Develop Local Product

INDUSTRY.co.id - Padang - Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto encourages the Government of West Sumatra (West Sumatra) to develop small and medium industries that produce regional products such as weaving.

"For West Sumatra, the most potential industries to be developed, one of which is the weaving and also at the same time for the preservation of culture," he said during a working visit to Padang, Saturday (08/26/2017)

He explained that large industries in West Sumatra are only based on natural resources such as palm oil and cement. But on the other hand also many people who have small and medium enterprises, so the business centers must be developed by the provincial government.

According to him, the potential for the development of weaving is quite large from the demand from outside the region and overseas markets that are still not met.

"Especially for apparel, such as garments, embroidery and weaving," he continued.

West Sumatra, he explained, in the future should strengthen the textile business sector by providing assistance, training and coaching to the people who pursue the work on an ongoing basis.

"Not only produce quality products, the government also provides knowledge on how to distribute from the results of this community effort," he said.

He conveyed that during his working visit to West Sumatera, his side also provided assistance in the form of machines and weaving equipment for small and medium industry center of Lintau Buo weaving of flat land.

"This is a form of encouragement to the provincial government and in the future we expect regional specialty products in West Sumatra to emerge more and reach the international market," he said.

While one of the weaving producing areas, Sijunjung Regency, has begun to facilitate the traditional textile craftsman, Tenun Unggan, by providing production facilities that can be used in 2017.

"The building is located in Nagari Unggan Sumpur Kudus District which is also equipped with 15 non-machine looms and has been utilized since it was inaugurated in February 2017," said the local Bupati, Yuswir Arifin.

 In addition, he added, as part of the effort to preserve local handicrafts, his side has also patented 30 motifs excavated based on local wisdom of local people, in collaboration with academic elements from the Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) Padang Panjang, West Sumatra.