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As Chinese apple, orange imports rise, Indonesia’s trade deficit widens
Fruit imports totaled $1.24 billion from January to November this year, up 9.61 percent from $1.13 billion in the same period last year.
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A buyer is shorting imported fruits at Kramat Jati market in Jakarta in this file picture. (Antara/Agung Rajasa)
W
ith Indonesians spending more on imported fruits, the trade deficit widened to US$3.11 billion as of November, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data has revealed.
BPS chairman Suhariyanto said the rise of imported fruits was due to rising household spending ahead of the holidays as Indonesians were buying more apples and oranges from China compared to last year.
“Household spending on several goods has contributed to rising imports of apples and oranges from China,” Suhariyanto told a press briefing in Jakarta on Monday.
Fruit imports totaled $1.24 billion from January to November this year, up 9.61 percent from $1.13 billion in the same period last year.
According to BPS data, the top three exporters of fruit to Indonesia were China, Japan and Thailand. Fruit imports from China more than doubled to $134.42 million in November from $64.17 million in the same period last year.
Bank Central Asia chief economist David Sumual said the country always relied on imported fruits, adding that this month's surge was due to a stronger rupiah against the US dollar.
"We always see a rise of household spending near the end of year, but this year's imports were higher than usual [...] perhaps because of the stronger rupiah, which prompted importers to boost their supplies," David told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
