“The OVOP approach is designed to elevate regional flagship potential so it can produce competitive products accepted in both national and global markets, while also creating positive impacts on regional economic development,” Agus said in Jakarta on Monday, May 18, 2026.

He explained that the Ministry of Industry has consistently implemented OVOP development programs since 2013 through the Directorate General of Small, Medium, and Miscellaneous Industries (IKMA). To date, the OVOP Awards have been held five times in 2013, 2015, 2018, 2022, and 2024. The program has become one of the government’s strategic instruments to strengthen Indonesia’s SME ecosystem through industrial clusters.

Agus further revealed that in 2026, the Ministry partnered with Indonesia Eximbank (LPEI) to provide more comprehensive support through the OVOP Go Global Program and the Foreign Exchange Village Program (Desa Devisa). The collaboration focuses on developing the Rendang SME Cluster in Payakumbuh, which is considered highly promising for export markets.

“The selection of the Payakumbuh Rendang SME Cluster is based on the readiness of its human resources, product quality, institutional strength, and highly promising export market potential,” he said.

Agus added that the cluster has also received Special Allocation Funds for revitalizing production facilities and infrastructure to strengthen rendang’s position as a regional flagship product capable of reaching national markets—including the Hajj and Umrah market—as well as export destinations.

The mentoring program began with a socialization event held on May 12, 2026, at the Payakumbuh Rendang SME Cluster, attended by SME members including three-star OVOP SME Rendang Gadih and two-star OVOP SME Rendang Riry, along with representatives from the Industry Offices of West Sumatra Province and Payakumbuh City.

The Minister expressed hope that the program would become a sustainable development model for SME clusters across Indonesia, enabling them to enter global markets through strengthened business capacity, technology adoption, and stakeholder collaboration.

Director General of IKMA Reni Yanita stated that, in addition to business management and product competitiveness support from the Directorate General of IKMA, LPEI’s Desa Devisa Program will also provide assistance in expanding export market access. She added that the Directorate General of IKMA is facilitating Industry 4.0 technology implementation to improve production capacity and product quality in line with global export standards.

“This support is expected to improve production efficiency, product consistency, hygiene standards, production capacity, and the readiness of rendang SMEs to meet both domestic demand and global export standards,” Reni said.

Meanwhile, IKMA Secretary Yedi Sabaryadi revealed that based on Ministerial Decree No. 3174 of 2024, a total of 113 OVOP SMEs have been officially recognized across sectors such as food and beverages, woven fabrics, batik, handicrafts, and pottery. West Sumatra itself has 22 OVOP SMEs, making it the province with the second-highest number of OVOP SMEs after Yogyakarta.

Yedi added that the mentoring program is specifically designed based on export market demands. Participating SMEs will therefore undergo curation and mentoring processes to ensure they meet international market standards. Selected SME product samples will also be promoted by LPEI to potential buyers and international aggregators.