Indonesian exports decline as non-oil shipments contract

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Indonesia’s export performance in September 2017 rose year-over-year, but fell month-over-month as non-oil exports declined compared to August 2017, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).

The country’s exports in September 2017 dropped by 4.51% to US$14.54 billion from the August 2017 figure of $15.22 billion.

BPS chief Suhariyanto attributed the decline in September this year to a decrease in non-oil exports, which slipped back 6.09% from August 2017, but increased by 15.60% when compared to September 2016.

“Oil and gas exports rose, but non-oil and gas shipments fell 6.09 percent,” said Suhariyanto of the month-on-month export performance.

Recorded non-oil exports in September 2017 totaled $13.10 billion, and for August 2017, the figure was higher at $13.95 billion. Non-oil exports in September 2017 increased by 13.76% year-on-year.

Suhariyanto said the largest decline in non-oil exports month-on-month was for vegetable fats and oils, which reached $186.4 million in value, or a slide of 9.06%.

The biggest increase occurred in mineral fuels with $182.8 million in sales receipts, or a rise of 10.66% month-on-month. “If seen in 2016, there is also a decline, it’s a seasonal factor,” said Suhariyanto.

The biggest destination for non-oil exports in September 2017 was China, followed by the United States and Japan. The contributions of these three markets reached 35.57% of the total. Exports to the European Union were recorded at $1.31 billion.

Indonesia’s exports from January to September 2017 amounted to $123.36 billion in value, or an increase of 17.36% compared to the same period in 2016, while non-oil exports were recorded at $111.89 billion, up 17.27% year-over-year.

For the manufacturing industry, non-oil exports in the first nine months of the year rose 14.51% compared to the same period in 2016. Exports of agricultural products went up 18.35%, and exports of mining and other products increased 34.75% in January-September 2017 compared to the same period of the preceding year.

Photo: Unknown photographer