Exports down 13.41% in March<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Exports dropped by 13.41 percent to US$4.54 billion in March
\nfrom $5.24 billion the same month last year, the Central Bureau
\nof Statistics (BPS) reported on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The bureau did not disclose the reason for the decline, but
\nexperts claim the current slowdown in the world economy
\nparticularly in the U.S., Indonesia's main export market, is
\naffecting exports, which was the main factor behind the country's
\nphenomenal economic growth in 2000.<\/p>\n
BPS, however, said that exports had increased from February by
\n8.56 percent due to higher oil prices.<\/p>\n
It pointed out that oil and gas exports jumped by 24.78
\npercent to $1.02 billion, while non-oil and gas exports were up
\nby 4.66 percent to $3.52 billion.<\/p>\n
Oil prices have jumped to around $26 per barrel due to the
\ncurrent tension in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
BPS said that the cumulative exports figure in the first
\nquarter of this year totaled $12.8 billion, which is 13.89
\npercent lower than the same period last year.<\/p>\n
The U.S., Japan, and Singapore continue to be Indonesia's
\nlargest export markets, which together absorbed 41.13 percent of
\nMarch's export value.<\/p>\n
BPS also reported that imports in March dropped by 25.1
\npercent to $2.32 billion compared to the same period last year.<\/p>\n
Analysts have said the slower export performance had also
\naffected imports because the country's export industries still
\nimported much of its raw materials.<\/p>\n
But BPS said that compared to the previous month, imports in
\nMarch increased by 17.16 percent to $2.32 billion.<\/p>\n
The cumulative import figure during the first three months of
\nthis year fell by 30.71 percent to $6.38 billion.<\/p>\n
The trade figure put the country's trade surplus in March at
\n$2.22 billion.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/exports-down-1341-in-march-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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