Inflation up 1.32 percent in January: BPS<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Inflation in January increased by 1.32 percent
\ncompared to the previous month due, in particular, to higher food
\nprices and other basic necessities, according to the Central
\nBureau of Statistics (BPS).<\/p>\n
The bureau's chief Sugito Suwito said on Monday year-on-year
\ninflation was 0.35 percent.<\/p>\n
\"The New Year celebrations and the Muslim Idul Fitri holiday
\nin January had a significant impact on the increase in prices,\"
\nSugito said at a media conference.<\/p>\n
He also said rises in public transport fares during the month,
\nwhen millions of city dwellers returned to their hometowns to
\ncelebrate the Muslim holiday, had contributed to January's
\ninflation figure.<\/p>\n
The central bank have forecast this year's inflation to be in
\nthe range of 3 percent to 5 percent. But if import tariffs on
\nrice and sugar are implemented, and government plans to increase
\nfuel prices, electricity tariffs and government employees
\nsalaries are taken into account, the inflation level could reach
\n7 percent.<\/p>\n
The bureau reported that the largest contributors to January's
\ninflation level were food commodities, processed food, beverages,
\ncigarettes and tobacco, housing and clothing.<\/p>\n
It said the food index had increased by 2.93 percent in
\nJanuary, with the higher prices of red chili, chicken, fish, eggs
\nand vegetables contributing in particular.<\/p>\n
The bureau said the price of rice had only increased slightly
\nduring the month.<\/p>\n
It said the processed food, beverages, cigarettes and tobacco
\nindex had increased by 0.36 percent.<\/p>\n
The bureau added that the housing index had increased by 0.47
\npercent, clothing by 1.83 percent, spending on health 0.23
\npercent, and transportation and communications by 0.86 percent.<\/p>\n
But the cost of education, recreation and sports had declined
\nslightly by 0.01 percent.<\/p>\n
Exports<\/p>\n
BPS also reported that the total export value in December 1999
\nhad slightly declined by 0.53 percent to US$4.37 billion compared
\nto the level in November, particularly due to a drop in the
\nexports of non-oil and gas products.<\/p>\n
\"Although the economy has slightly improved, export
\nperformances have not yet shown a significant development,\"
\nSugito said.<\/p>\n
\"One of the factors is the still relatively weak import of raw
\nmaterials and capital goods,\" he said, pointing out that the
\ncountry's non-oil and gas export industry relies heavily on
\nimported raw materials.<\/p>\n
The bureau said monthly non-oil and gas exports had fallen by
\n4.70 percent to $3.25 billion in December.<\/p>\n
It said export value in the full-year 1999 was $48.49 billion
\nor a 0.73 percent decline from $48.84 billion in 1998.<\/p>\n
The bureau said the lower export value was due to lower non-
\noil and gas exports, which dropped by 5.48 percent to $38.73
\nbillion compared to $40.97 billion in the previous year.<\/p>\n
The bureau said oil and gas exports during the year had risen
\nby 24 percent to $9.76 billion on the back of rising oil prices
\nin the international market from around $12.47 per barrel in 1998
\nto an average of $17.52 last year.<\/p>\n
It said import values in December reached $2.08 billion, a
\nslight increase compared to $2.05 billion in November.<\/p>\n
But imports in the January 1999-December 1999 period fell by
\n12.51 percent to $23.92 billion compared to the same period in
\nthe previous year, the bureau said.<\/p>\n
The bureau said imports of consumption goods during the
\nJanuary 1999-November 1999 period had jumped by 44.21 percent to
\n$2.40 billion compared to the same period last year.<\/p>\n
It added that imports of raw materials during the period had
\nfallen by 5.32 percent, while imports of capital goods had
\ndropped by 52.96 percent.<\/p>\n
It reported that tourist arrivals in December had declined by
\n2.66 percent to 326,384 tourists, compared to November.<\/p>\n
But tourist arrivals in 1999 had risen by 4.13 percent to
\n3,920, despite domestic social and political unrest during the
\nperiod.(rei)<\/p>",
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