Both oil and gas and non-oil and gas exports declined last year (2012) to make total exports down.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s exports dropped 6.61 percent to US$190.04 billion in 2012 from US$203.5 billion in the year before, according to the National Statistics Agency (BPS).

The country`s imports meanwhile rose 8.02 percent to US$191.57 billion in the January-December 2012 period from US$177.44 billion in the same period before, BPS chief Suryamin said here on Friday.

He said "both oil and gas and non-oil and gas exports declined last year (2012) to make total exports down.

He said the country`s total oil/gas exports in 2012 reached US$36.97 billion in value dropping by 10.86 percent compared to total oil/gas exports in 2011 that reached US$41.48 billion, he said.

Exports of non-oil/gas meanwhile declined by 5.52 percent from to only US$152.07 billion from US$162.12 billion before, he added.

Suryamin explained that the drop in the oil/gas sector was driven by decreasing crude oil exports by 11 percent from US$13.83 billion to US$12.29 billion, a drop in the oil revenue by 12.93 percent from U&S$4.77 billion to US$4.16 billion.

The drop was also followed a decline in gas exports by 10.28 percent from US$22.87 billion in 2011 to US$20.52 billion in 2012, he said.

Suryamin said in 2012 exports of seven out of 10 non-oil/gas commodities were down such as mineral fuels, fat and vegetable oil fat, machinery/electric equipment, rubber and rubber products, ore commodities, iron ash, paper and garments.

He said only three non-oil/gas commodities that recorded an export hike namely engines/mechanical instruments, vehicles and their parts.

"During the period of January-December 2012 exports of the 10 export commodities contributed 63.05 percent of total non-oil/gas exports," he said.

With regard to export destinations China remains the country`s biggest export destination with total exports to that country reaching US$20.86 billion to contribute 13.63 percent of the country`s total exports.

Japan was the second with total exports to that country recorded at US$17.23 billion or 11. 25 percent of total exports, followed by the US with exports recorded at US$14.59 billion ((.53 percent), and India with exports at US$12.45 billion.

Among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEN) members Singapore meanwhile was recorded the biggest recipient of Indonesia`s exports reaching US$10.56 billion, followed by Malaysia US$8.47 billion and Thailand US$5.49 billion.

The biggest exports to the European Union meanwhile went to Germany reaching US$3.07 billion in value, followed by Britain at US$1.7 billion and France at US$1.13 billion.

"Overall Indonesia`s exports to almost all destination countries are down although in terms of volume they increased. The drop in the value of exports was caused by declining prices especially of CPO and mining commodities," he said.

Based on sectors Suryamin said the industrial sector dominated with its exports reaching 61.11 percent of the total following by oil and gas sector at 19.45 percent, the mining sector 16.5 percent and agricultural sector 2.94 percent.

Suryamin meanwhile said that imports were up because oil/gas imports rose reaching US$42.57 billion or 4.58 percent higher than before at US$40.71 billion.

Non-oil/gas imports were up US$9.05 billion from US$136.73 billion to US$149.11 billion, he said.

"The hike in the oil/gas imports was caused by increasing imports of oil products and gas respectively by 1.94 percent and 118.17 percent," he said.

The 10 non-oil/gas commodities that recorded the biggest hike in imports in 2012 are iron and steel products by 36.82 percent from US$3.57 bllion to US$4.89 billion, aircraft and its parts by 31.39 percent to US$4.4 billion, motor vehicles and their parts by 28.29 percent to US$9.75 billion.

Non-oil/gas commodities that recorded a drop in import are cereals from US$4.75 billion to US$3.71 billion.

Besides increasing market demand Suryamin said increasing demand for capital goods was also the factor behind the import hike.

"The rise in capital goods demand is a sign of growth in the real sector as well as manufacturing and industrial sectors," he said.

He said most of the country`s non-oil/gas imports in 2012 came from China reaching US$28.96 billion, followed by Japan US$22.69 billion, the US US$11.56 billion, Thailand US$11.29 billion and Singapore US$10.64 billion.

Other imports from South Korea valued at US$8.3 billion, Malaysia at US$6.32 billion, Australia at US$5.07 billion, Taiwan at US$4.2 billion, Germany at US$4.18 billion, India at US$4.02 billion, France at US$1.89 billion and Britain US$0.92 billion.

"Total imports from the 13 countries reached 80.77 percent of the country`s total imports," Suryamin said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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