The UKM Virtual Expo (UVO) event was again held by the Central Java Provincial Government after recording transactions of up to IDR 5.1 billion in several previous implementations. "The event, which has been held five times since 2020, has recorded transactions of IDR 5.1 billion," said Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo in Semarang, Monday. Ganjar explained that the SME Virtual Expo event started in 2020 when the COVID-19 outbreak caused famine conditions in the tourism and SME sectors. "Therefore, the Central Java Provincial Government has initiated a virtual sales event so that SME products from remote Central Java can be known more widely," he said accompanied by Central Java Deputy Governor Taj Yasin Maimoen and Central Java Bank President Director Supriyatno.

The number one person in Central Java said that the SME Virtual Expo 2022 in the month of Ramadan is an attempt by the Central Java Provincial Government to boost sales of SME sector products. "We know that the products from the community are quite good, they have made many innovations. There are non-rice products, there are clothing products, fashion, and sarongs which become idols because they are approaching Eid. This is an event to promote and at the same time people understand that there are quality products from SMEs," he said. Head of the Central Java Province SME Cooperatives Service, Ema Rachmawati, added that the fifth session of the UKM Virtual Expo was held in a hybrid manner. In addition to the online storefront at www.ukmvirtualexpo.com, the public can also shop directly at the outlets available in the courtyard of the Ghradika Bhakti Praja Building, Central Java Governor's Office Complex.

"This event will be held April 18-20 2022, there are 50 outlets that are present offline, if previously we were 'online' full, we are trying to hybrid invite friends to sell directly," he said. Based on data from the Central Java SME Dinkop, from the SME Virtual Expo session 1-4, sales from this event reached Rp 5.1 billion and the recorded transactions could be more because some SMEs and sellers made transactions outside the event. Ema hopes that this kind of sales event will also be followed by other agencies, especially before Lebaran, the Central Java Provincial Government is currently trying to make Central Java SME products marketable in toll road "rest areas". He said that the fifth session of the SME Virtual Expo was fully supported by Bank Jateng and related to sales targets, the Central Java SME Dinkop never set a target, and transaction records were calculated after the event was completed. "From the UVO event (sessions 1-4) we recorded sales of almost IDR 6 billion. That was during the exhibition, we haven't counted the 'repeat orders' yet, if the total is more than IDR 10 billion," he said.

Source: https://m.antaranews.com/berita/2828049/pemprov-jateng-kembali-gelar-ukm-virtual-expo