Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs, Teten Masduki, underscores the significance of fulfillment centers as a bridge to facilitate the global expansion of Indonesian products, particularly in supporting local products to enter the European market. One noteworthy fulfillment center receiving appreciation from Minister Teten is Indonesia In Your Hand, a marketplace dedicated to selling Indonesian products abroad, with offices in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Sydney, Australia. "I appreciate the initiative of Indonesia In Your Hand operating in the Netherlands. This is a proactive step to help market local industrial and SME products that aim to go global, especially those aligning with the European market," stated Minister Teten Masduki. Minister Teten Masduki acknowledges that Indonesia is currently facing challenges in product digitalization, specifically concerning high logistics costs. The end-to-end purchasing or shipping process between sellers and buyers directly contributes to elevated logistics expenses. Therefore, Minister Teten sees the presence of fulfillment centers for SMEs as a solution to address the logistics issues at hand.

He mentions that the high logistics costs in Indonesia stem from independent product shipping, insufficient logistics infrastructure, IT, and connectivity across sea, land, and air. "As much as 47.8% of SMEs face shipping difficulties due to distant recipient locations, making swift deliveries crucial, especially for food SMEs," he explained. Minister Teten hopes that by studying the operations of fulfillment centers in developed countries like the Netherlands, Indonesia can adopt and establish an ideal SME fulfillment center zone. This is anticipated to assist in reducing logistics costs, packaging expenses, and inventory costs, making SME products more cost-effective and efficient. "In the end, the presence of fulfillment centers will contribute to lowering the prices of SME products and enhancing purchasing power without compromising quality," stated Minister Teten Masduki.

Source: https://www.harianbatakpos.com/menteri-koperasi-dan-ukm-dukung-ekspor-produk-indonesia-ke-eropa/