Exports to grow 7% next year, thanks to new buyers<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government painted on Wednesday a brighter outlook for the
\ncountry's exports for next year, predicting exports to grow by 7
\npercent, higher than this year's growth target of 5 percent.<\/p>\n
\"I am optimistic that we will reach the 5 percent growth
\ntarget this year and even 7 percent growth in 2004,\" Minister of
\nTrade and Industry Rini M.S. Soewandi told reporters following
\nthe opening ceremony of the 18th Resource Indonesia (PPE) 2003 on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Rini said she was optimistic after seeing Indonesia's export
\nperformance over recent months, which was on the rise thanks to
\ndemand from Indonesia's nontraditional markets and the rise in
\nthe export of new commodities.<\/p>\n
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has announced that
\nIndonesia's non-oil and gas exports rose 5.7 percent in the first
\neight months of the year to US$31.47 billion.<\/p>\n
In the corresponding period last year, exports grew 3.12
\npercent to $29.77 billion year-on-year.<\/p>\n
Rini said electronics, textiles, furniture and paper were the
\nlargest contributors to the country's exports this year.<\/p>\n
\"Electronics exports are expected to reach $7 billion this
\nyear, while textile exports are seen to reach $6.8 billion,\" said
\nRini.<\/p>\n
Buyers from nontraditional markets have made a significant
\ncontribution to the country's export performance this year.<\/p>\n
\"Nontraditional markets, such as United Arab Emirates, Africa,
\nChina and Eastern Europe, have great potential and are in need of
\nIndonesian products,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Previously, Indonesian exports were focused on traditional
\nmarkets such as the United States, Japan and Western European
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Rini said what was interesting was that exports of
\nhandicrafts, fishery products, cacao, glassware and ceramic
\nproducts had been on the rise as their quality had improved.<\/p>\n
Rini also said an exhibition such as PPE would give a
\nsignificant contribution to the country's exports as it helped
\npotential foreign buyers to find what they needed at one
\nlocation.<\/p>\n
Separately, chairwoman of the National Agency for Export
\nDevelopment (BPEN), Diah Maulida, told The Jakarta Post this
\nyear's PPE was expected to record about $80 million worth of
\nexport deals, a 10 percent increase from $72.4 million recorded
\nin the 2002 PPE.<\/p>\n
A palm wax candle exporter, Prananto Nugroho, from PT Wax
\nIndustri Nusantara, confirmed that the fair was quite helpful for
\nIndonesian companies, citing that of the company's 10 existing
\nbuyers, seven first approached the firm during the past PPE
\nforum.<\/p>\n
The 2003 PPE is open from Oct. 15 to Oct. 19 at the Jakarta
\nFairground (PRJ), Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
About 1,200 companies are participating in the expo,
\ndisplaying cosmetics, consumer goods, footwear, furniture,
\nagricultural and mining products, handicrafts and textiles at a
\ntotal of 1,505 stands.<\/p>\n
Potential buyers come from about 100 countries, including
\nJapan, Algeria, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and
\nEastern Europe.<\/p>\n
Separately, Husin Bagis, commercial and industrial attache at
\nthe Indonesian Embassy in Japan, said a Japan trade mission of 49
\npeople had came to see the PPE, looking for furniture, corn,
\ngypsum and the medicinal fruit mengkudu (Morinda citripolia or
\njava noni), which is believed to be able to cure diabetes.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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