RI books US$5.12b surplus

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia booked a trade surplus of US$5.12 billion from January to July this year while the inflation rate was 5.37 percent during the seven-month period.

Minister of Information R. Hartono said yesterday that total exports were valued at $30.15 billion in the Jan-July period, comprising oil and gas exports worth $$6.88 billion and non-oil and gas exports worth $23.27 billion.

In the Jan-July period, imports totaled $25.03 billion, comprising $2.37 billion of oil and gas products and non-oil and gas commodities worth $22.65 billion.

"The $5.12 billion surplus was made up of $4.5 billion from the oil and gas sector, while non oil and gas products contributed $615.5 million," Hartono said after the monthly limited cabinet meeting on economic affairs at the Bina Graha presidential office.

Hartono said the inflation rate was slightly higher than the 4.94 percent recorded in same period last year. Inflation for September alone was 1.29 percent.

Inflation for April to September, was 3.41 percent compared to only 1.68 percent for the same period last year.

In July alone exports amounted to $4.59 billion, of which $885.1 million came from oil and natural gas. Imports in the same month totaled $3.63 billion, of which $354.4 million came from the oil and gas sector.

"It means we enjoy a $959.2 million surplus for July alone," Hartono said.

Exports increased 12.88 percent, while non oil and gas increased 17.42 percent for July.

The growth of non-oil and gas exports from January to July rose 9.70 percent, while imports dropped 0.80 percent.

"For the last three months the surplus of non oil and gas tended to rise steadily, in May it totaled $301 million,and became $359 million in June and $428 million in July," Hartono said. (prb)