In Kasongan, an ancient trade is big business

Kasongan's pottery products have been recognized since local businesses started sending their products overseas in 1987. Kasongan has been known for pottery since at least 1675, according to local lore, when a figure known as Kyai Song first set up shop. Today, the village located about 7 kilometers south of Yogyakarta city is home to 582 pottery businesses that employ more than 2,300 people. Kasongan is a mainstay of Bantul regency, contributing Rp 80 billion (US$6.6 million) to the local economy, according to official data. It also attracts thousands of tourists from throughout Indonesia. However, local sales fell drastically in 2006 after the 6.3-magnitude Java Earthquake, epicentered near Yogyakarta, killed more than 5,700 people and leveled homes and showrooms in the village, according to Sujarwo, 57, coordinator of the technical services unit of Kasongan.

This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title "". Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/10/28/in-kasongan-ancient-trade-big-business.html.


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