There are still many obstacles faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in developing their businesses. Sometimes to be able to move up a class and expand their market they experience difficulties.
- Rattan craftsmen cannot continuously exhibit
As faced by a rattan craftsman from Gunungpati District, Semarang City, Achmad Sholeh. The owner of the Sumber Rejeki Rotan business admitted that he still faces many obstacles in developing his business. Although his handicraft products have been able to penetrate the international market, they have not been continuous. This is because he still exports through third parties. "I have sent rattan handicrafts to Australia and England since 2010. I entrusted the shipment through a third party. However, the goods I export are only to fill the container," he said when met at the Creative Innovation Program Group Discussion Forum for Vocational Partners at the Noormans Hotel Semarang, Wednesday (10/23/2024). The unclear delivery and buyer demand made Sholeh want to become an independent exporter. However, he admitted that he did not have a lot of capital and had difficulty marketing.
- Inovokasi research team accompanies MSMEs
The obstacles experienced by Sholeh were answered by academics who were conducting research from the Politeknik Negeri Semarang (Polines). The research team of the Creative Innovative Program for Vocational Partners (Inovokasi) Kedaireka Kemendikbudristek provided assistance to MSMEs to move up a class by exporting. The head of the research team who is also a lecturer from the Polines Business Administration Department, Bayu Setyo Nugroho SST MM said that his party assisted two MSMEs to become exporters. They are the owners of the Isna Instant Ginger and Rotan Source Rejeki businesses. "Through this research grant assistance, we assist and facilitate MSMEs starting from preparing appropriate web-based technology, national to international e-commerce media, creating applications, to enterprise technology that can be applied by MSMEs," he said.
- Research team creates export documents
In addition, the research team also helped to create export documents such as company profiles, product catalogs, documents for handling buyers, and others. Bayu said that his party wanted the two partners to become independent exporters without the help of third parties. In the FGD, the Polines research team also invited district/city and provincial governments, business associations and the mass media. They discussed the Development of Export Products as an Effort to Increase the Competitiveness of Export-Ready Products of Central Java MSMEs.
- Business actors who are prospective exporters must have a NIB
Secretary of the Central Java Provincial Industry and Trade Service, Linda Widiastuti said that business actors who want to carry out export activities are required to have a Business Identification Number (NIB). "The requirements for obtaining a business license in the export sector include a valid taxpayer status statement," she explained. Meanwhile, in relation to MSME actors who want to become exporters, so far they are still experiencing a number of obstacles. Linda explained that one of the obstacles is that it cannot be continuous or sustainable. They are often unable to meet demand and do not have capital. "Our step is to collaborate between the same business actors. Another strategy to lift MSMEs is that we partner with large companies," she said.
Source: jateng.idntimes.com