RI trade surplus with Australia

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia booked a surplus of US$163 million in bilateral trade with Australia in the first quarter of the year, the Australian Embassy in Jakarta said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the embassy said Indonesian exports to Australia reached $549 million in the first quarter of the year, a 5.88 percent decrease from the corresponding period last year.

Indonesian imports from Australia dropped 4.66 percent to $386 million in the first quarter of the year.

The embassy said bilateral trade between the countries reached $935 million in the first quarter of the year, a 6.5 percent drop from the same period last year.

The embassy said Indonesian oil and gas exports to Australia dropped amid the monetary crisis, but exports of non-oil and gas products rose.

The embassy said paper, cardboard, non-metal mineral products and furniture were among the top Indonesian export commodities. (jsk)