Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian furniture products worth US$6.11 million were sold during the INDEX exhibition in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Trade Ministry has said.The ministry's director of export development for manufactured products, Dewi Rokhayati, said that Indonesian furniture products are still favored by the Middle East and Africa region. This year's transaction value was 454 percent higher compared to US$1.1 million in the previous year.
"The attraction of Indonesian furniture products is still very large. Indonesian furniture products managed to record transactions of US$6.11 million," she noted in a statement issued by her office on Tuesday.
The products that were in demand included console tables, chairs, and stools made of wood and rattan, rattan baskets, wall decorations, wooden outdoor furniture, decorative accessories, and kitchen equipment, she informed.
On the first day of the exhibition, two trade agreements were inked between Indonesian Pavilion participants and UAE buyers worth US$648 thousand for stools, tables, and decorations made from teak wood; outdoor furniture; rattan furniture; as well as hanging lamps, Rokhayati added.
According to the head of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) - Dubai, Widy Haryono, opportunities for Indonesian furniture exports to the UAE can be increased.
In January–March 2024, the exports of Indonesian furniture to the UAE reached US$3.06 million. Meanwhile, in the 2019–2023 period, the trend of Indonesian furniture exports to the UAE grew positively by 15.35 percent, he said.
"For us, Indonesia's participation in INDEX 2024 is an effort to take advantage of the Indonesia-UAE CEPA trade agreement and utilize Dubai as a hub for trade in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia," Haryono informed.
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The Indonesian Pavilion, which opened on June 4, 2024, showcased products with a sustainable, environmentally friendly concept as well as good craftsmanship, in line with market demand. The pavilion displayed superior furniture and home decoration products from 15 exporters.
The value of bilateral trade between Indonesia and the UAE in January–April was recorded at US$1.60 billion, an increase of 9.54 percent compared to the same period of 2023.
In 2023, total bilateral trade reached US$5 billion, with Indonesia's exports to the UAE valued at US$2.65 billion and imports from the UAE recorded at US$2.35 billion. Thus, Indonesia experienced a surplus of US$297.40 million in its trade with the UAE.