The trade value of Indonesian exports dropped by 17.70
percent from December to January with the significant decrease in oil and gas shipments,
the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported recently.
BPS's chairman Rusman Heriawan told kompas.com on Monday that Indonesia had
booked a total of US$7.15 billion (Rp 85. 8 trillion) in export trade, with gas
and oil sector sales down $947.1 million (23.85 percent ) compared to December 2008.
"The non oil and gas sector also recorded a decrease in exports, at $6.21
billion - dropping 30.64 percent [compared to January 2007]," Rusman said,
referring to commodities like rubber, machine parts and vegetable oil.
Japan was our biggest export
destination, followed by the US,
and Singapore.
"Exports to Japan reached
$788 million, higher than the $772.3 million worth of exports to the US, and $594.5 million to Singapore," he
said. (ewd)