BPS chief Suhariyanto said a decline was recorded both in the imports of oil and gas and in the imports of other commodities, but the sharpest fall was in the imports of oil and gas down 29.25 percent.
"Oil and gas imports in April 2017 were valued at US$1.61 billion or down 29.25 percent from March, but up 18.27 percent from a year earlier," Suhariyanto said here on Monday. Import value of crude oil dropped 34.41 percent, oil products shrank 25.01 percent and gas fell 37.66 percent.
The sharpest fall in the import value of other commodities was recorded for sea ships and other floating materials down 63.46 percent. A decline was also recorded in the import value of mineral fuel, organic chemicals, and plastic and plastic goods.
Imports of non-oil/gas commodities in April were valued at US$10.32 billion, down 6.26 percent , but up 9.16 percent year-on-year.
Cumulatively in the first four months of the year, imports were valued at US$48.53 billion , up from US$42.76 billion in the same period a year earlier.
Imports have come mainly from China valued at US$10.37 billion (25.70 percent), Japan US$4.63 billion (11.49 percent and Thailand US$2.89 billion (7.16 percent).
Imports of commodities other than oil and gas from other ASEAN countries made up 20.83 percent of the countrys total imports, with the 28 countries European Union accounted for 9.24 percent of the countrys total import value.
Meanwhile, the country recorded a surplus of US$1.24 billion in foreign trade with exports valued at US$13.17 billion and imports at US$11.93 billion in April, 2017.
The countrys export value in April fell 10.30 percent from the previous month but up 12.63 percent from a year earlier.
Suhariyanto said the countrys imports have always been smaller in April than in March since 2012.
Cumulatively in the first four months of the year, the countrys export value rose 18.63 percent to US$53.86 billion from the same period last year.
China has remained to be the countrys largest market accounting for 12.81 percent or US$6.26 billion of the countrys export value , followed by the United States to which exports were valued at US$5.65 billion or 11.55 percent of the countrys exports in value , and India to which exports were valued at US$4.60 billion.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
