RI, Brazil likely to boost bilateral trade relations<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Brazil have the potential to
\nexpand their economic relations despite a sharp decline in
\nbilateral trade several years ago, chairman of the Indonesian
\nChamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Aburizal Bakrie said
\nhere on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking after a seminar on trade opportunities with Brazil,
\nthe trade organization's chairman said that both countries had
\nmuch to offer in order to boost future trade.<\/p>\n
He suggested that Brazil could import crude palm oil, rubber,
\nas well as footwear and textile-related products from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Ical, as Aburizal is more commonly known, such
\nIndonesian products are not only of a higher quality, but are
\nalso cheaper than those from other countries.<\/p>\n
He said that Indonesia, on the other hand, could import iron
\nore and steel products from Brazil to meet the need of the local
\nsteel industry.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia could, for example, import cheap steel and iron ore
\nfrom Brazil,\" he said on the sidelines of the seminar, which was
\nalso attended by a Brazilian trade delegation.<\/p>\n
The 80-member trade mission is part of the delegation
\naccompanying Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso who
\narrived in Jakarta late on Monday for a two-day visit.<\/p>\n
Ical said the trade volume of the two countries peaked at
\nUS$608 million in 1997 before plunging to $378 million in 1998.
\nOver the past two years it has slightly recovered to $493 million
\nin 1999 and about $530 million last year.<\/p>\n
\"Based on that trend of recovery, we expect that the two way
\ntrade will increase by 15 percent to about US$575 million this
\nyear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Mario Vilalva, the director general of Brazil's trade
\npromotion department, said that he expected the country's trade
\nmission could help promote bilateral trade to at least the level
\nrecorded in 1997.<\/p>\n
He said that Indonesia is one of Brazil's most important
\ntrading partners in Asia, which contributes approximately $14.9
\nbillion to the country's total foreign trade.<\/p>\n
Brazil's imports from Indonesia reached a total of $249
\nmillion in 2000, slightly more than half the total trading volume
\nof $468 million during the year, he said.<\/p>\n
Brazil imports various products from Indonesia including
\nelectrical goods, machinery, filaments, rubber products, cocoa,
\nanimal or vegetable oils, and mineral fuels.<\/p>\n
Indonesia imports tobacco, cars, sugar, wood pulp, ores and
\ntransportation equipment. (03)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-brazil-likely-to-boost-bilateral-trade-relations-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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