Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian Trade Ministry, through the Directorate General of Export Development, is making efforts with the Jordanian Embassy in Jakarta and East Java Province's Industry and Trade Office to enhance export cooperation.
"The steps to boost export cooperation are aimed at improving the performance of Indonesian exports to Jordan and is an effort to overcome the trade deficit," Director of Export Development Cooperation Dody Edward noted in a press release received by Antara here on Wednesday (June 1).
This form of cooperation is focused on 60 businesses in Surabaya, which will be able to gain a better understanding of the characteristics, potentials, and constraints in the Jordanian market. In addition, the businesses can obtain comprehensive information on the Jordanian market.
Currently, there is still a deficit in the trade balance between Indonesia and Jordan. Indonesia's non-oil product imports from Jordan had led to the trade deficit.
Data obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics revealed that the value of Indonesia's non-oil exports to Jordan in 2015 amounted to US$95.23 million. Meanwhile, Indonesian non-oil imports from Jordan in the same year stood at $160.78 million, or Indonesia was facing a trade deficit of $65.54 million.
During the January-March 2016 period, the total value of trade between Indonesia and Jordan stood at $57.51 million. Indonesia's exports to Jordan amounted to $21.75 million, including non-oil products, such as plywood, pasta, tuna fish preparations, paper, and tires.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's imports from Jordan reached $35.76 million, which included non-oil products and chemical compounds, such as calcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, potassium chloride, copper waste, and waste paper.
Dody said boosting exports in Surabaya was part of the implementation of the joint statement signed by the Director General of Export Development Cooperation and the Investment Commission of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on June 2, 2014, in Amman, Jordan.
The joint statement encompassed enhancing inter-business cooperation between the two countries through the exchange of information in the field of trade, among others. (WDY)
