RI books US$5.12b surplus

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)