Exports rise 13% in first four months<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The country's exports in the first four months of this year
\nincreased by 13.02 percent to US$19.95 billion compared to the
\nsame period last year, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS)
\nreported on Monday.<\/p>\n
BPS said the positive export data showed that the rapid
\nappreciation of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar has not
\naffected the country's export performance so far.<\/p>\n
The rupiah has been on a rising trend against the dollar with
\nthe local unit closing at a 31-month high last week. The sharp
\nappreciation is creating fears among exporters that their
\nproducts would be less competitive against the products of
\ncountries whose currencies are not appreciating as fast as the
\nrupiah.<\/p>\n
The government is hoping that the export sector could start to
\nplay a greater role in pushing this year's economic growth rate
\nat 4 percent, compared to 3.7 percent last year, amid signs of
\nweakening domestic consumption. Domestic consumption has been the
\nmain engine for growth during the past couple of years.<\/p>\n
BPS did not provide an explanation for the higher exports, but
\nmany economists have said that despite the global economic
\nslowdown, the country's exports were relatively unaffected as
\nthey mainly consisted of low-end manufacturing products and
\nagriculture and mining commodities.<\/p>\n
In regards the three largest export destinations -- the U.S.,
\nJapan and Singapore -- BPS said that while exports to the U.S.
\nand Japan increased in April, exports to Singapore were declining
\nas the country battled to curb the spread of Severe Acute
\nRespiratory Syndrome (SARS).<\/p>\n
The agency said that non-oil and gas exports, mainly
\nindustrial products, contributed 76 percent of the total exports
\nin the first four months, while oil and gas exports contributed
\n24 percent.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, non-oil and gas exports in April rose by 1.72
\npercent to $3.88 billion and non-oil and gas exports from January
\nto April increased by 8.34 percent compared to the same period
\nlast year.<\/p>\n
BPS said that total exports in April declined by 1.27 percent
\nfrom the previous month mainly because of lower oil and gas
\nexports, as the international prices of the two commodities fell.<\/p>\n
BPS also reported that imports from January to April rose by
\n23.50 percent, compared to the same period last year, to $11.13
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
However, imports in April weakened by 6.66 percent to $2.69
\nbillion from the previous month, which may be further evidence
\nthat production activities at home remain slow.<\/p>\n
The trade surplus for April was $2.31 billion, compared with
\n$2.19 billion in March.<\/p>\n
BPS said that while imports of consumption goods and raw
\nmaterials during the first four months of this year increased by
\n32.5 percent and 28.79 percent, respectively, imports of capital
\ngoods declined by 9.97 percent.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/exports-rise-13-in-first-four-months-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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