Jakarta (ANTARA) – Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has said the 2026 Economic Census is part of the government's efforts to update national economic data structure, including on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which serve as a basis for policy studies and formulation.”This economic census is an activity we hold once every ten years. The last one was in 2016, and now we are carrying it out again in 2026,” BPS Deputy for Balance Sheet and Statistical Analysis M. Edy Mahmud said here on Saturday.Mahmud explained that data from the last census in 2016 is no longer relevant to reflect the current state of the economy.Over the past decade, the ways people produce, market, distribute, and conduct transactions have changed significantly.The growth of digital commerce has also given rise to many new business models, including home-based MSMEs operating through marketplaces and various digital platforms.“Since 2016, economic activity has clearly changed significantly. The way people produce goods has changed, and the way they market and distribute goods has also changed,” he said.Therefore, BPS needs to once again capture a comprehensive picture of Indonesia’s economic structure in 2026.Data collection for the 2026 Economic Census has been underway since May and will continue through August 2026. As of August 7, data collection had reached about 86 percent of the estimated business population.According to Mahmud, individual data collected by BPS is protected under the Statistics Law. Data released to the public consists of aggregate information, rather than data on individual businesses. The data will later be used to examine the structure and characteristics of the economy, including to map the condition of MSMEs.“If we are not counted or recorded, perhaps we will be considered not to exist. There would be no record of us in the economic census at all, meaning we would not appear in that picture,” Mahmud said.