"The pattern is that the first-quarter economic growth is rather low, particularly if the harvest shifts to April and May," Nasution informed reporters in Jakarta on Monday.
The minister elaborated that economic growth in the first quarter of last year too did not deviate much, lying at 5.06 percent.
Nasution believes that exports did have an impact on the GDP, albeit not significant.
"Despite our exports and imports not being too far apart, the effect on the GDP is not quite major. However, an impact was certainly felt, though not too large," Darmin remarked.
Despite the first-quarter growth in 2019 merely touching 5.07 percent, Nasution is upbeat of better economic growth in the subsequent quarter.
"The second-quarter growth will certainly increase. A rise was recorded in the second quarter of last year, the previous year, and before. Moreover, a shift in harvest has occurred this year, but it will be better in the second quarter," Minister Nasution remarked.
Earlier, Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Head Suhariyanto had remarked that economic growth in the first quarter of 2019 was measured at 5.07 percent.
The BPS noted that this economic growth surpassed the first-quarter 2016 rate of 4.94 percent, 2017 first-quarter figure of 5.01 percent, and 2018 first-quarter value of 5.06 percent.
Translator: Eliswan Azly
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
