"Despite the deficit, the position is still better than that of April 2019 when (the country) recorded a deficit of US$2.3 billionJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia posted a US$350-million trade deficit in April 2020 on the back of exports slumping 7.02 percent to Rp12.19 billion and imports plummeting 18.58 percent to $12.54 billion, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced, Friday.
"In spite of the deficit, the position is still better than the $2.3-billion deficit posted in April 2019," BPS Chief Suhariyanto stated during a videoconference in Jakarta on Friday.
The curve of the April 2020 deficit flattened in comparison with the corresponding period last year, he pointed out.
The BPS recorded a 7.02-percent drop in exports in April 2020 from that during the same month last year and tumbled 13.33 percent as compared to March 2020.
In the meantime, imports in April 2020 plummeted 18.58 percent as compared to the corresponding month last year and decreased 6.10 percent from that of the previous month.
Cumulatively, Indonesia's balance of trade in the initial four months of 2020 posted a surplus of $2.25 billion, with exports reaching $53.95 billion and imports totaling $51.71 billion.
"Of course, the performance may be better in the next few months. When we draw a comparison with the performance during the January- April 2019 period, it is far better, let alone, if we take into account the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," the BPS chief pointed out. Related news: Indonesia's trade balance records $0.86 billion deficit
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Translator: Sella Panduarsa Gareta/Suharto
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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