Songket Garment Makers Set To Expand Sales To Singapore

Pekanbaru, Dec 27 (ANTARA) - Producers of Songket cloth hope to expand their market to Singapore and Malaysia, as the traditional product of woven cloth have attracted many buyer among tourists from the two countries. So far Songket cloth products have been sold only at the International Airport of Sultan Syarif Kasim II and souvenir shops in this city. "We will expand sales to Singapore starting 2013. We are optimistic with the plan to expand the market," a Songket maker Zaitun said in Kampar on Thursday. Zaitun said Songket is growing in demand with main buyers not only tourists from Singapore and Malaysia, but also from other regions in the country. A craftsman could produce a 2 meters long and 1.5 meters wide songket and a 1.8 meters x 25 centimeter shawl in seven to eight days, he said. A set of Songket including a shawl, and a sarong is sold at Rp1.7 million - Rp2 million. Songket is already popular in the country especially among married women.