"The biggest export value in 2011 reached 10.902 billion US dollars, a 32.14 pct increase from 8.250 billion US dollars in the same period of 2010, in which the export of animal and vegetable fats reached 4.315 billion US dollars," head of North Sumatra Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Suharno said in Medan on Monday.
The increase in North Sumatra's exports by 32.14 pct was prompted by an increase in volume and the sales prices of various commodities.
In the January-November 2011 period, the export of goods reached 7.499 million tons, up from the same period in 2010 with 7.401 million tons.
"The prices of exports of various consumer goods, especially CPO, rubber and coffee increased," he said.
The prices and volume of the exports had slightly declined at the end of 2011 due to the economic crisis facing the United States and Europe.
The increasing foreign exchange revenue was encouraging because North Sumatra's foreign trade was still on a surplus of 6.421 billion US dollars.
North Sumatra`s imports until November 2011 reached 4.481 billion US dollars.
The biggest of North Sumatra`s exports in 2011 to the three countries was India 1. 288 billion US dollars, followed by Japan with 1.259 billion dollars, and China 916.907 million dollars.
Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Trade and Industry (Kadin) Irfan Mutyara said that North Sumatra's exports had been very helpful with the increase of various commodities including crew palm oil (CPO) , rubber and coffee.
"Although eventually the sales prices of the commodities had decreased in 2011, the very significant price increases before that had helped increase the total exports form the province last year," he said.
The 2012 exports may still increase further because the export commodities produced by North Sumatra were still very much needed by the importing countries.
Irfan also estimated that in 2012, the main export destination of North Sumatra were still India, Japan and China with their reliable commodities like CPO, rubber, coffee and aluminium. (H-NG)
Editor: Ade P Marboen
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
