Jakarta, May 27 -- Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Minister Maman Abdurrahman has underlined the need for traditional market vendors to utilize digital technology to boost sales.

"We can no longer avoid the tide of globalization and digitalization. What has caused our declining sales is our delay in adapting to the current situation, particularly the rise of digitalization in our own country," he said during a visit to Kebayoran Lama Market, South Jakarta, on Tuesday.

He pointed to the shift in people's consumption patterns, noting that smartphones and the Internet have made it easier for people to shop online.

For that reason, he said, now is not the time to separate or stop the tradition of shopping in traditional market...