Non-oil, gas exports projected to rise 10%
Non-oil, gas exports projected to rise 10%
JAKARTA (JP): The value of Indonesia's non-oil and gas exports
is expected to increase 10 percent next year to about US$53
billion from some $48 billion this year, Minister of Trade and
Industry Luhut B. Panjaitan said here on Wednesday.
"I personally think we will exceed this amount and may even
achieve a 15 percent increase next year, but 10 percent is our
conservative view," he said during a year-end gathering here.
The conservative 10 percent estimate was reached partly as a
precaution against an expected economic slowdown in the United
States next year, Luhut said.
"The United States market absorbs 16.6 percent of our total
exports, so a slowdown would inevitably effect us as well," he
explained.
Luhut said his office would try to counter the effects of any
slowdown by exploring export destinations other than Indonesia's
traditional markets of the United States, Japan, Singapore,
Malaysia, China, South Korea, Germany and Taiwan.
"We are trying to further increase our export market to
Australia and Pakistan as a way to counter the effects of a U.S.
economic slowdown," he said.
Luhut said non-oil and gas export revenue reached a total of
$39.9 billion from January to October of this year, an increase
of 23 percent from the $32.06 billion during the same period last
year.
"I am certain we will exceed $48 billion, but the final word
will be when the December numbers come out," he said.
Luhut said this year's non-oil and gas export earnings were
"phenomenal", showing an increase of more than $9 billion from
last year's $38.87 billion
This higher figure could be the result of an increase in
demand for Indonesian products, or the positive effects of the
government's easing export restrictions, he said.
It could also be the result of industries beginning to return
to full capacity from the idleness which was caused by the
economic crisis, Luhut said
The ministry will concentrate on 16 export commodities next
year in its efforts to help boost the economy, Luhut said.
The commodities are pulp, vegetable oil, plywood and veneers,
wooden goods, paper and cardboard, yarn, woven cloth and textile
fibers, office equipments, voice and video recorders, furniture,
garments, footwear furniture, telecommunications devices and gems
and jewelry.
He said when the prioritized commodities have found footholds
on the international market, the ministry will then focus its
attention on other commodities.
Total export value between January and October reached $51.6
billion from $39.7 billion during the same period last year, he
added.
Luhut also said total export revenue was projected to increase
by about 24 percent to $60.4 billion from some $48.6
billion.(tnt)