JAKARTA: Bali’s foreign exchange earnings from jewelry exports more than doubled to US$13.2 million in the January-April period from only $6 million in the corresponding period last year, according to Bali industry and trade office data.
The jewelry products, which are made using traditional methods in Celuk village in Gianyar, sell well in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and the United States, Made Parsua, a local businessman, said as reported by Antara news agency.
He attributed the surge in exports to the ability of local handicraft business owners to keep abreast of the latest trends in the jewelry industry.
According to data of the Bali office of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), 21.37 percent of Bali’s jewelry products were shipped to Hong Kong, 19.56 percent to Singapore, 19.55 percent to Australia, 8 percent to Thailand, 6 percent to the US and the remainder to other nations.
“To make the products we are forced to hunt for basic materials from various regions in the country, especially Kalimantan,” Parsua said.
