North Sumatra SMEs Expand Markets via Trade Mission to East Java
The Governor of North Sumatra, Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution, advocates for strengthening inter-regional trade cooperation as a means to address global economic challenges.
According to him, priority must be given to domestic economic potential—specifically the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector—to bolster the regional economy.
LATEST NEWS: Analysis of gold price trends: Will the year-end rally fail to materialize in 2026?
Nasution made these remarks during a trade and investment mission between East Java and North Sumatra, themed “Improving Connectivity Networks between East Java and North Sumatra,” held in the Grand Mercure Hotel ballroom on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
The event was attended by the Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, and dozens of businesspeople from both provinces.
Nasution expressed his appreciation for the attention Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has shown toward North Sumatra. Governor Khofifah had previously visited the province when a hydrometeorological disaster struck various areas of North Sumatra in November 2025.
“Welcome back, Governor of East Java, Ms. Khofifah Indar Parawansa. She was here previously to offer aid and support to North Sumatra when it was hit by the disaster. But this time, she is bringing businesspeople along; this is an extraordinary breakthrough that will give a boost to the region’s economy,” said Bobby Nasution.
LATEST NEWS: Indonesian Skills Competition (Inaskill) 2026: Efforts to Train Competent Mobile Phone Technicians
According to Bobby, the trade mission—aimed at fostering inter-regional trade cooperation—represents a significant step toward addressing the challenges facing the currently strained global economy.
He noted that this situation also poses a challenge for attracting foreign investment.
“This in itself is a challenge for us. That is why the SME sector holds immense potential today. It is also the reason North Sumatra is seeking to shift its approach regarding SMEs,” said Bobby Nasution.
Consequently, Bobby Nasution encouraged trade and investment missions to go beyond merely concluding transactions and instead foster broader business collaboration. This approach is expected to enable SME products from North Sumatra and East Java to expand their reach within the national market.
LATEST NEWS: Changing your financial mindset: 5 sources of extra income you rarely discover
“Earlier, the Head of the Department of Industry, Trade, Energy, and Mineral Resources (Perindag-ESDM) reported that transaction figures had reached 2.288 trillion rupiah by 10:00 AM WIB. So, if I am delivering a speech and the crowd behind me is still listening attentively, it implies that transaction volumes could rise further. However, this presents a challenge for North Sumatra: how do we guide SME businesses [to meet the necessary standards]?” explained Bobby Nasution, who will soon lead a trade and investment mission from North Sumatra to East Java.
Bobby also emphasized that the guidance process for entrepreneurs—encompassing everything from selection and training to market insight—is a crucial element of SME development. According to him, these activities are not aimed solely at financial gain but also serve as a learning platform for entrepreneurs, particularly those in North Sumatra.
“How will our trade mission introduce our products? I urge the head of the department to improve and stabilize the trade balance. This way, the figure of 2 trillion rupiah could potentially rise to 4 trillion rupiah in the future,” said Bobby Nasution.
Meanwhile, the Governor of East Java, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, estimated that the event could offer added value for both provinces, particularly by strengthening networks among entrepreneurs.
East Java therefore looks forward to a reciprocal visit from North Sumatra, with the same mission of expanding trade cooperation.
“I believe we can strike a balance between East Java and North Sumatra. Take entrepreneurs from East Java, for example—some sell coffee, while others purchase it. I consider Sidikalang Coffee to be an exceptional brand. So, our shared task, Governor, is to determine how we can increase our production,” said Khofifah, praising the high quality of products from North Sumatra.
By approximately 12:30 PM WIB, the event’s transaction value had reached 2.5 trillion Indonesian rupiah. Earlier, a trade agreement was signed between East Java and North Sumatra, involving government agencies, trade organizations, and entrepreneurs from both provinces.
The event was also attended by the head of the Bank Indonesia representative office, the head of the Financial Services Authority (OJK), the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI), the Creative Economy Movement (Gekraf), and the Indonesian Association of Women Entrepreneurs (IWAPI). ***rel
UMKM Sumatera Utara Perluas Pasar Lewat Misi Dagang Jatim
Gubernur Sumatera Utara (Sumut), Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution mendorong penguatan kerja sama perdagangan antardaerah sebagai salah satu langkah menghadapi tantangan ekonomi global.
Menurutnya, potensi ekonomi dalam negeri, khususnya sektor Usaha Mikro, Kecil dan Menengah (UMKM), perlu menjadi prioritas untuk memperkuat perekonomian daerah.
Hal tersebut disampaikan Bobby Nasution saat menghadiri Misi Dagang dan Investasi Jawa Timur (Jatim)-Sumut bertema “Meningkatkan Jejaring Konektivitas antara Jawa Timur dan Sumatera Utara” di Ballroom Hotel Grand Mercure, Selasa, 29 September 2026.
Kegiatan tersebut dihadiri Gubernur Jatim Khofifah Indar Parawansa serta puluhan pelaku usaha dari kedua provinsi.
Bobby Nasution mengapresiasi perhatian Gubernur Jatim Khofifah Indar Parawansa terhadap Sumut. Sebelumnya, Khofifah hadir di Sumut saat bencana hidrometeorologi melanda sejumlah wilayah Sumut pada November 2025 lalu.
“Selamat datang kembali Gubernur Jatim, Ibu Khofifah Indar Parawansa. Sebelumnya hadir di sini membawa bantuan kepedulian untuk Sumatera Utara yang terdampak bencana. Tetapi kali ini datang membawa pedagang, di mana ini merupakan terobosan luar biasa dan mengangkat perekonomian masyarakat,” ujar Bobby Nasution.
Menurut Bobby, misi dagang yang bermuara pada kerja sama perdagangan antardaerah merupakan salah satu langkah antisipatif dalam menghadapi tantangan perekonomian global yang saat ini masih menghadapi tekanan.
Kondisi tersebut, menurutnya, turut menjadi tantangan dalam upaya menarik investasi dari luar negeri.
“Ini menjadi tantangan tersendiri bagi kita. Oleh karena itu, hari ini yang punya potensi besar adalah sektor UMKM. Karenanya Sumatera Utara mencoba mengganti pendekatan kepada para pelaku UMKM,” sebut Bobby Nasution.
Karena itu, Bobby Nasution mendorong agar misi dagang dan investasi tidak berhenti pada transaksi perdagangan, tetapi dilanjutkan dengan kerja sama usaha yang lebih luas. Dengan demikian, produk-produk UMKM dari Sumut dan Jatim diharapkan mampu memperluas pasar hingga tingkat nasional.
“Tadi Pak Kadis (Perindag-ESDM) menyampaikan hitungan untuk angka transaksinya hingga Pukul 10.00 WIB tadi, sudah mencapai Rp2,288 Triliun. Jadi kalau saya pidato dan di belakang masih ramai, berarti transaksinya bisa meningkat. Namun ini menjadi tantangan bagi Sumatera Utara, bagaimana mengkurasi (pemenuhan standar) para pelaku UMKM,” jelas Bobby Nasution yang akan membawa misi dagang dan investasi dari Sumut ke Jatim dalam waktu dekat.
Bobby juga menilai proses kurasi terhadap pelaku usaha, mulai dari seleksi, pelatihan hingga pemahaman terhadap pasar, merupakan bagian penting dari pengembangan UMKM.
Menurutnya, kegiatan tersebut tidak semata-mata berorientasi pada keuntungan finansial, tetapi juga menjadi sarana pembelajaran bagi pelaku usaha, khususnya di Sumut.
“Jadi bagaimana nanti misi dagang kita perkenalan produk-produk kita, pesan kepada Pak Kadis agar neraca perdagangannya bisa naik, stabil. Jadi kalau bisa berikutnya, angka Rp2 Triliun bisa meningkat menjadi Rp4 Triliun,” ungkap Bobby Nasution.
Sementara itu, Gubernur Jatim Khofifah Indar Parawansa menilai kegiatan tersebut dapat memberikan nilai tambah bagi kedua provinsi, terutama dalam memperkuat jejaring antarpelaku usaha.
Karena itu, Jatim menunggu kunjungan balasan dari Sumut dengan membawa misi yang sama untuk memperluas kerja sama perdagangan.
“Saya rasa kita bisa membangun keseimbangan antara Jatim dan Sumatera Utara. Seperti pelaku usaha dari Jawa Timur, ada yang menjual kopi, ada yang membeli. Bayangan saya, itu Kopi Sidikalang yang brand-nya luar biasa. Nah, PR kita sama-sama Pak Gub, bagaimana produksi kita ditingkatkan,” sebut Khofifah yang memuji berbagai kualitas produk dari Sumut.
Hingga sekitar pukul 12.30 WIB, nilai transaksi dalam kegiatan tersebut mencapai Rp2,5 triliun. Sebelumnya, telah dilakukan penandatanganan kerja sama perdagangan antara Jatim dan Sumut yang melibatkan instansi pemerintah, organisasi perdagangan, serta pelaku usaha dari kedua provinsi.
Kegiatan tersebut turut dihadiri Kepala Perwakilan Bank Indonesia, Kepala Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (OJK), Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS), Kamar Dagang dan Industri (Kadin), Himpunan Pengusaha Muda Indonesia (HIPMI), Gerakan Ekonomi Kreatif (Gekraf), Ikatan Wanita Pengusaha Indonesia (IWAPI), serta perwakilan organisasi dan pelaku usaha lainnya dari kedua provinsi. Turut hadir Bupati Probolinggo Muhamad Haris Damanhuri. ***rel
