Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Trade, in partnership with Shopee Indonesia, launched the Local Products Acceleration program to expand the market reach of domestic businesses and strengthen their competitiveness through digital technology. “Our primary goal is to give greater prominence to local products on e-commerce platforms, encouraging businesses to increase production,” Trade Minister Budi Santoso told entrepreneurs during the launch ceremony in Jakarta on Thursday. He said the program was a concrete follow-up to a regulation he issued on June 6 to strengthen the promotion of products made by domestic micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), improve transparency regarding information and costs, and enhance consumer protection. Santoso said strengthening local products requires an inclusive digital trading ecosystem that connects sellers, platforms, and consumers and enables them to grow together over the long term. Emphasizing product quality and consumer protection, the minister urged local businesses to improve their competitiveness and adapt to consumer demand to maximize opportunities in the domestic market. “Our task is to find you a market. In other words, you work on the products, while we, together with Shopee, work on the market,” he said. Shopee Indonesia Deputy Director of Government Relations Balques Manisang said the Local Products Acceleration program offers a range of initiatives to help businesses address various challenges. She said the program includes more than Rp100 billion (US$5.5 million) in seller vouchers, capacity-building initiatives, support for accessing overseas markets, promotional features, operational assistance through the “Managed by Shopee” label and service, and intellectual property protection. The program also helps sellers obtain Business Identification Numbers (NIBs) and certificates demonstrating compliance with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) and halal requirements. “We are optimistic that Shopee’s comprehensive support will help strengthen the competitiveness of local products and spur economic growth,” Manisang said.