The country`s non-oil/non-gas exports in January 2011 reached US$11.9 billion which was up 29 percent from the same period last year.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s non-oil/non-gas exports still grew above the government`s target in January 2011, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said.

The country`s non-oil/non-gas exports in January 2011 reached US$11.9 billion which was up 29 percent from the same period last year, she said when reporting the country`s export-import performance at a press conference here on Wednesday.

"That is higher than the target set by the government for the national medium-term development plan at 11 to 12 percent or the trade ministry`s target of 12 to 15 percent," she said.

Mari said the non-oil/non-gas export growth in the first month of this year was also above the average rate of non-oil/non-gas exports in 2010 which was worth US$10.8 billion.

This year, she said, the government targeted US$139 billion to US$146 billion in non-oil/non-gas exports or an average of US$11.6 billion to US$12,1 billion a month.

The performance of the country`s non-oil/non-gas exports in January 2011 had resulted in a balance of trade surplus of US$1.9 billion, she said.

The minister said the rise in the value of non-oil/non-gas exports in the first month of 2011 was mainly driven by increasing exports from the mining, industrial and agricultural sectors.

The highest performer was industries which reached US$9.3 billion in the month, up 38.4 percent from the same period last year.

"This is one of the indicators that domestic industries have started recovering," he said.

She said exports from the agriculture sector meanwhile grew 6.03 percent and the mining sector 4.04 percent.

She said the value of non-oil/non-gas exports in January 2011 was powered more by higher prices rather than hikes in volume.

She said a relatively high price hike was recorded for rubber (64.7 percent), palmoil (34.2 percent) and coffee (16.4 percent).

The price of the commodities had risen because of high demand and short supply in producing countries, she said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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