Bali's Foreign Trade US$178 Million Surplus

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Bali's foreign trade in the first quarter of 2010 had a surplus of up to 178.2 million US dollars, Head of the Bali Industry and Trade Export Division Putu Bagiada said in Denpasar Wednesday.

The foreign trade surplus became apparent after the region's nonoil/gas export trade reached 181 million US dollars in the first quarter of 2010, while its import trade reached only 2.8 million dollars.

Bali as a tourist resort also procured different trade commodities to meet the needs of international communities holidaying there, like alcoholic drinks, fruits and many other needs.

Some of the small industries in the area are also buying raw materials for overseas sources for re-export like silk cloths, and other kinds of cloths for clothes for export.

Bagiada said Bali's imports in the January-April 2010 period reached 2.8 million US dollars, which is a big increase compared to that in the previous period reaching only 302 thousand dollars, or up by 845 percent.

Members of the international community holidaying in Bali have also increased starting early this year, so that it was necessary to import their consumption needs.  Their number coming to Bali had been  fluctuating from 168,923 in January to 187,781 in February, and in March 194,482, and in April 178,549.

Bagiada also said that besides the imports which had increased substantially, the foreign exchange from exports also increased  22 percent in the first quarter of 2010 to 181 million dollars, compared to that of the foreign trade in the same period of 2009 reaching only 148.3 million dollars.(*)