The companies grouped under the Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Association (AMKRI) had used the opportunity to explore the Russian furniture market, which is currently growing, according to a press release by the Indonesian embassy in Moscow received here on Saturday.

CV Vina Arya Furniture, PT Erlangga B.N.H., PT Koloni Timur, PT Hartco Utama, PT Property Asset Mandiri and CV Yudhistira participated in the exhibition on May 12-15 and had displayed their products produced by craftsmen in Semarang, Kudus, Solo and Cirebon.

Seeing the enthusiasm of the visitors in Moscow, AMKRI plans to use the event as an entry point for Indonesian craftsmen to market their products by participating in it more actively in the future.

The AMKRI delegation was received by the Indonesian ambassador to Russia and Bellarus, Djauhari Oratmangun, at Wisma Duta on May 14, and in the meeting the ambassador expressed appreciation of AMKRIs participation in the FIDExpo, saying it will help the Indonesian governments efforts to increase not only political but also economic cooperation between Indonesia and Russia.

He said the Indonesian people in general still had a wrong perception of Russia as a communist country.

"Russia has already transformed, it is more open. So, it is time for us to change the perception," he remarked.

Meanwhile, AMKRI general chairman Soenoto expressed his appreciation to the ambassador for receiving his delegation and facilitating AMKRIs visit to Moscow to participate in the FIDExpo.

According to AMKRI, the worlds furniture export currently is US$124 billion and US$40 billion of it is contributed by China and other ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam which accounts for around US$4.5 billion.

Indonesia, meanwhile, only contributes around US$1.8 billion in such export, and therefore AMKRI will continue to boost the countrys furniture export with new breakthroughs to increase it to US$5 billion in the next five years at a growth rate of 20 percent a year.

*This article was published on antaranews.com