Medan (ANTARA News) - North Sumatra`s exports to South Africa till May this year have drastically increased to 161.487 million US dollars, a 59.92 pct compared to that of last year.

Head of the North Sumatra Central Statistics Agency Suharno said in Medan on Thursday in the January-May 2011 period North Sumatra`s exports to South Africa still stood at 100.978 million US dollars.

He said the nearly 60 pct increase in exports to South Africa had been the highest rate compared to those of other countries.

North Sumatra`s exports to Japan, for instance, merely increased 45.52 pct, to China 11.14 pct, to Singapore 55.51 pct, and to the United States 36.17 pct.

Suharno said the highest value of exports to South Africa was contributed by the exports of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives.

Secretary of the North Sumatra Association of Indonesian Business Enterprises (Apindo) Admiral Adiyaksa said the South African market is a very potential market worth developing by businessmen.

Besides its big population, that country`s economy is also growing favorably, although it is still no main destination of North Sumatra`s exports, it is worth developing.

Besides CPO, the other commodities with good export potentials are rubber, cigarettes, and plastic goods.

(SYS/H-NG/A014)

Editor: Suryanto
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