PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - The Bandung City Government is encouraging the shoe industry to expand its export market while creating jobs for the community.

This was conveyed by the Mayor of Bandung, Muhammad Farhan, when accompanying the working visit of the Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, to Fortuna Shoes on Jalan Soekarno-Hatta (14/9/2026).

According to Farhan, Fortuna Shoes has great potential to strengthen the industrial and trade sectors of Bandung City through internationally competitive manufactured products.

"In the past year, we only grew 0.22 percent. This is problematic because manufacturing growth will significantly impact job creation and investment development," said Farhan.

He admitted that the Bandung City Government continues to encourage the growth of the manufacturing sector because it plays a major role in creating jobs for the community.

One of the supports that is of concern is ensuring that export-oriented Bandung City products have a Certificate of Origin (SKA).

Farhan believes that the SKA is not only an administrative export document but also strengthens product identity and provides added economic value to the region of origin.

"With a certificate of origin, wherever Fortuna shoes are sold, everyone will know they come from Bandung. That's very important," he said.

Farhan stated that there are two manufacturing sectors within the creative economy that are currently being promoted by the Bandung City Government: the shoe industry and modest fashion or Muslim clothing.

According to him, these two sectors are capable of increasing the added value of products while simultaneously opening up a large number of job opportunities.

"We are promoting Muslim shoes and clothing, or modest fashion, as two key commodities in the creative economy in Bandung. Their potential to increase added value and create extraordinary jobs," he said.

In addition to strengthening the manufacturing industry, Farhan is encouraging Bandung's signature products to have a stronger regional identity.

He gave examples of a number of culinary products that are widely known as part of Bandung's identity.

In the future, according to Farhan, regional identity can be part of efforts to provide protection and increase the added value of local products.

"If manufactured products are developed and labeled, they can be protected with higher added value. That's what we'll likely strive for next, after the SKA," he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia, Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri, appreciated the development of Fortuna Shoes, which produces quality products and penetrates the international market.

During his visit, the Deputy Minister of Trade directly observed the shoe production process from the initial to the final stage.

He said that the quality of Fortuna Shoes products is competitive in the global market.

"We are very proud because the quality of the shoes is also very good and competitive in the international market," he said.

He said that Fortuna Shoes has exported to a number of countries, including Japan, England, and several European countries.

According to him, the existence of SKA is important to ensure the clarity of the origin of Indonesian products marketed abroad, including the region of origin of the product.

The visit also served as part of an effort to encourage businesses to take advantage of the Trade Expo Indonesia event, which brings together Indonesian products with buyers from various countries.

The Deputy Minister of Trade hopes that Fortuna Shoes' involvement in the Trade Expo Indonesia will open up opportunities for market expansion to new countries.

"We hope that Fortuna Shoes' involvement in this exhibition will provide us with the opportunity to expand our market to other countries," he said.

The Ministry of Trade, he continued, has a network of trade representatives in 33 countries that business actors can utilize to find buyers and expand export markets.

In addition, business pitching and business matching can be facilitated online, so that business actors do not always have to come directly to the destination country.

"We're specifically tasked with finding buyers and markets overseas. Business pitching and matching can be done online," he said.

The Deputy Minister of Trade also assessed that the existence of industries such as Fortuna Shoes has a positive impact on the surrounding community.

He said more than 60 percent of workers in the industry are women, while a number of employees have worked for 20 to 30 years.

"So I'm grateful to see the multiplier effect is also very positive," he said.

(Bandung City Communications and Information Service/bhf)