Mon, 09 Aug 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s non-oil/gas exports in 2010 had been estimated to reach 10 percent, surpassing the earlier set 7 to 8.5 percent.

"We have targeted non-oil/gas exports at 7 - 8.5 percent, which may even be more than that," Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu said in Jakarta recently.

Actually, the minister said, the figures could reach up to 10 percent as in June 2010 the exports which reached 10.4 billion US dollars, a rise of 31.1 percent from that in last year`s same period.

In the meantime, the cumulative non-oil/gas exports in the January-June 2010 period increased by 38.1 percent than that in last year`s same period.

The minister said that the fact that exports reached more than 10 billion dollars again was an indication that Indonesia`s exports had been restored and became steadier while the global economy has not been restored.

Besides, in June trading had reached 24 billion dollars, comprising 12.3 billion dollars in exports, and 0.6 billion dollars in imports.

Indonesia`s balance of trade in June 2010 therefore reached a surplus of 0.6 billion dollars, so that in the January-June 2010 period Indonesia`s trade surplus reached 9.6 billion dollars.

The Indonesian surplus consisted of non-oil/gas 9.59 billion dollars and oil/gas 0.04 billion dollars.

She also said that in the first semester of 2010 the sector with the highest increase was mining which had increased by 66.6 percent, triggered by the high demand for Indonesian mining products, although their process had declined.

Mari also predicted that the exports in the second semester of 2010 would be constant due to the lack of fiscal stimulation of several other countries.

However, she remained optimistic that this year`s non-oil/gas export growth would exceed the set target. (*)