Indonesia Posts A Trade Surplus Of $900 Million In June

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia recorded a trade surplus of US$900.2 million in June with exports valued at US$12.92 billion, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said here on Friday.

The BPS attributed the surplus to trade in non-oil/gas commodities, which favored the country with a surplus of US$1,398.6 million in June.

The surplus was also attributable to 12.18 percent increase in exports month to month, the agency said.

"So far this year, the country's exports peaked in June, although exports and imports were still below the levels recorded in 2015," BPS chief Suryamin told reporters.

Exports in June fell 4.42 percent  from US$13.51 billion in the same month last year.

Cumulatively in the first six months of the year, exports reached only US$69.51 billion , or 11.37 percent smaller year-on-year.

However performance in June was encouraging leaving a larger surplus  that US$373.4 million in the previous months.

Exports of non-oil/gas  rose 11.12 percent  from US$10,556.4  million in May to US$11,730 million in June.

The highest increase in exports was recorded for metal ore, slag and dust , up 128.7 percent to US$247.4 million , but the largest contributor to the export value was fats and animal and vegetable oils reaching  US$1.29 billion.

The sharpest fall in exports was recorded  in the exports of  iron and steel materials down 52.23 percent  or US$100.7 million.

The largest market for non-oil/gas commodities was the United states to which exports valued at US$1.62 billion in June, 2016 , followed by Japan to which exports were valued at US$1.24 billion  and China US$1.21 billion. The three major markets accounted for 34.73 percent of the exports in value. (WDY)