INDONESIAN FURNITURE POPULAR IN EUROPE

Batam, May 7 (ANTARA) - Indonesian furniture is seen as a principal commodity in European markets, as demand was very high despite the global financial crisis.

"Indonesian furniture are widely sought in the European market. The value of the exports is very satisfactory," Secretary of the National Export Development Body (BPEN) of the Trade Ministry Astri Permatasari said here on Thursday.

She said that demand for Indonesian furniture is quite high, and the European market continued ordering these products.

Indonesian furniture from Yogyakarta and some other regions in Java, like chairs, tables and other wooden and rattan products, are very popular in Europe.

In addition to furniture, Indonesian handicraft products are also selling well in the European market, especially the unique ones.

The trade ministry, she added, is trying to offer products of micro, small and middle businesses to the export market what what had been done by Astri in Batam during the Batam Expo 2009.

In the Batam expo 2009, Astri found some products of micro, small and middle scale businesses which could be offered to foreign markets such as footwear , batik dolls and bronze accessories.

In the meantime, in the same event, a staff of the trade of the South Kalimantan trade representative office Said said that demand for bamboo carpets had been declining from the export market.

On the other hand, demand from the Japanese market for bamboo carpets and baskets hand been high, but now started declining, he said.
Because of the sluggish Japanese market, the producers have started turning to other markets. "Now we are focusing on the local market, he said.