Government encourages development of creative economy

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will encourage the development of a creative economy which produces culture-based products to increase the state`s foreign exchange earnings.

"The challenge to us is giving an added-value to the products and branding both on the local and global market," Minister of Trade Marie Elka Pangestu told a seminar on fourth stage development: "Cultural Heritage and Creative Economy", here on Wednesday.

Right now, products of the culture-based creative industry contributed only 1.9 percent to the GDP, while in the industrialized countries the contribution reached 30 percent.

Singapore started developing a creative economy in 2005, and its contribution to their foreign exchange revenue had reached 3-4 billion US dollars.

Globally, culture-based creative economy contributed 2 trillion US dollars to the world`s GDP, and may reach 10 trillion US dollars by 2010.

Therefore, the seminar and discussion held during the Cultural Exhibition dedicated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Wednesday (July 11), are expected to produce an action plan and blueprint on the development of creative economy.

In the meantime, the Central Bureau of Statistics is determining the share of cultural products of the creative industry in the GDP. And the trade ministry is finalizing the mapping of a culture-based handicraft industry scheduled for completion in October this year.

"All of Indonesia`s cultural creative industries have good prospects on the export market, and it is therefore necessary to be boosted," she said.

She also said that some of the commodities which could be developed as cultural creative industrial products are food spices, advertisement, work designs, the art of dancing, and some other arts and cultural product, like coffee, tea and spices.

"Imagine a country like Korea which has only ginseng, but it can produce beverages, cosmetics and other products from ginseng only," she added.

The minister also said that Indonesia needed a new promotion agency carrying Indonesia`s good image around the world.

"A favorable image will boost investment and trade," she said.

Players in the cultural creative industry would have to make an adaptation on the domestic and overseas market to develop cultural creative products and improve human resources.

Giving an example, she said that "lurik" (kind of striped woven cloth) can be developed into a kimono, and sold to Japan. "Sasando" from East Nusa Tenggara if electrified becomes an electric bass guitar.