Govt plans import tariff cutbacks<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government plans import tariff cuts as part
\nof its fresh economic deregulation package aimed to boost
\nexports, Minister of Industry Tunky Ariwibowo said here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Just wait. The package is expected to be announced soon,\"
\nTunky told reporters after meeting President Soeharto.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Industry and Trade Hartarto said
\nlast week that the planned package was expected to be announced
\nin January, at the latest.<\/p>\n
Widjojo Nitisastro, an economic adviser to the government,
\nalso said recently that the government had prepared another
\nderegulation package but its announcement is waiting for the
\noutcome of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit
\nin Osaka later this week.<\/p>\n
Tunky explained that the planned package is aimed at boosting
\nexports of certain commodities, including textiles, pulp, plywood
\nand electronic products.<\/p>\n
Exports of plywood and textiles, which have become the
\nbackbone of Indonesia's non-oil exports, experienced serious
\ndecline during the past years.<\/p>\n
According to the Central Bureau for Statistics, Indonesia's
\nplywood exports dropped by 14.15 percent during the first seven
\nmonths of this year to US$1.98 billion from $2.3 billion in the
\nsame period of last year. For the whole year of 1994, exports of
\nthis commodity fell by 11.95 percent to $3.7 billion from $4.2
\nbillion in the previous year.<\/p>\n
Exports of textiles dropped by 6.19 percent last year to $5.8
\nbillion from $6.2 billion in 1993. During the January-July period
\nof this year, however, textile exports increased by 1.45 percent
\nto $3.39 billion from $3.34 billion in the same period of last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The government has issued a number of economic deregulation
\npackages in the past few years aimed at sustaining growth rates.<\/p>\n
The latest package, announced last May, cut import tariffs on
\nmore than 6,000 items, or 64.16 percent of the existing tariffs.<\/p>\n
Tunky said he would fly to Japan later yesterday to discuss
\nthe possible relocation of small-scale Japanese companies in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
\"This time, I will meet Japanese businessmen, not government
\nofficials,\" Tunky said. \"I will, among others, discuss the
\nrelocation of small-scale Japanese electronic factories into
\nIndonesia. We have prepared locations for them.\" (rid)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-plans-import-tariff-cutbacks-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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