Indonesia’s Creative Economy Minister underscored the strategic role of the Jogja International Furniture & Craft Fair Indonesia (JIFFINA) in accelerating the global reach of national creative products
Indonesia’s Minister of Creative Economy, Teuku Riefky Harsya, recently received a delegation from the Jogja International Furniture & Craft Fair Indonesia (JIFFINA), recognising the exhibition as a key international platform for promoting Indonesian furniture and craft products in global markets. The meeting highlighted JIFFINA’s contribution to strengthening the export performance of the country’s creative economy.
The Minister noted that the craft industry remains one of Indonesia’s leading creative economy subsectors, with export contributions reaching approximately US$11.1 million. He emphasised that the Ministry of Creative Economy is currently prioritising acceleration over incubation, with a focus on helping creative businesses scale up and gain access to international markets.
According to Teuku Riefky, JIFFINA aligns closely with the ministry’s role as an accelerator for creative enterprise development. The international furniture and craft fair is held regularly at the Jogja Expo Center in Yogyakarta and serves as a vital showcase for Indonesian craftsmanship. Its location in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java was described as particularly strategic, given their status as major national hubs for furniture and craft industries.
The presence of JIFFINA outside Jakarta also demonstrates that international exhibitions need not be centralised in the capital. Strong interest from overseas buyers to travel directly to Yogyakarta has confirmed the city’s appeal as a global trade destination, while supporting a more balanced distribution of creative economic activity across regions.
Yuli Sugianto, President Director of PT Jiffina Internasional Perkasa, explained that JIFFINA functions as a trade and export platform linking furniture and craft industry players with international buyers. The exhibition places strong emphasis on sustainable design innovation, collaboration with young designers, and factory visit programmes for buyers. With visitors from countries including the Netherlands, the United States, France, Spain, India, the Middle East, North Africa, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore, JIFFINA recorded total transactions of US$46 million in 2018. The Minister concluded that continued collaboration between government and stakeholders is essential to strengthening the craft subsector as a pillar of Indonesia’s creative economy exports.
Source: Antaranews
