"The United State is the biggest market of Bali`s traditional handicraft commodities, but Central and South America are new markets," Head of the Denpasar Export, Industrial and Trade Section of Industry and Trade Agency Putu Bagiada said here Thursday.
The exports to Central and South America were worth 6 million US dollars from January to August 2011, a 14 pct increase compared to only 5.2 million dollars in last year`s same period .
Bagiada said the entrepreneurs or exporters had been asked to sell their products to the export markets in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East.
"Central and South America are also potential markets and Bali`s exports to Brazil and South America had exceeded 1.7 million dollars from January to August 2011," he said.
In the meantime, Central America is still lacking in Balinese export products, as buyers from seven countries including the Bahamas, Panama and Costa Rica only imported their commodities worth less than a million dollars.
"United States is the biggest buyer of Bali`s handicraft goods for many years, and in early 2011 has recorded 71.4 million dollars in US foreign exchange earnings," said Bagiada.
US imports from Bali included clothing, silver jewelry, diamonds and wooden handicraft goods.
Japan is the second biggest buyer of various Balinese non-oil/gas products, worth more than 62.5 million dollars in eight months of 2011, up from 62.2 million dollars in last year`s same period.
"Foreign exchange earnings from trade to Central and South America can be increased, depending on the efforts of the exporters in exploiting existing opportunities," said Bagiada.
(T.SDP-01/H-NG/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
