Non-oil exports show signs of recovery
Non-oil exports show signs of recovery
JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Trade and Industry
Hartarto said yesterday that Indonesia's non-oil exports have
showed signs of recovering following a decline in the first
quarter of this year.
Hartarto said that in June, non-oil exports reached a monthly
value of above US$2.7 billion for the first time ever, indicating
a 14.9 percent increase over the same period of 1993.
"The increase undoubtedly showed the return of our non-oil
exports to their upward trend," he told journalists following a
meeting with President Soeharto.
Hartarto, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas, Minister of Trade Satrio B. Joedono, Minister of
Agriculture Syarifuddin Baharsjah and Minister/State Secretary
Moerdiono, reported to the president about the outcome of the
second ministerial meeting of Indonesia and Australia in
Melbourne last week.
Indonesia's non-oil exports dropped for the first time in the
first quarter of this year to US$1.61 billion, 1.6 percent lower
than in the corresponding period of last year due mainly to a
decline in exports of textile-related products.
Hartarto said that around 70 percent of Indonesia's non-oil
products were exported to Taiwan, the United States, Singapore,
South Korea and Australia.
Touching on the outcome of the ministerial meeting, Hartarto
said that both the Indonesian and Australian governments agreed
to boost bilateral cooperation in such fields as industry, trade,
investments, oil exploration, education and health.
"Both governments also agreed on the need to involve the
private sector in the two countries' bilateral cooperation
arrangement," he said.
Minister Joedono said that the Australian market is very
challenging for Indonesian exports, given the strong buying power
of its people.
"Unfortunately, our exports are not yet competitive," he said.
"Indonesian products sold to Australia are relatively expensive
compared to local products or those imported from other
countries."(hen)