JAKARTA: The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) releases the Trade Balance in March 2017. This month, the Trade Balance is surplus again—three times in a row. In March 2017, Indonesia’s exports stood at $14.59 billion. Compared to the previous month, exports rose by 15.68 percent. When compared to March 2016, there is a 23.53-percent increase in exports. Of the portions, the non-oil and gas exports dominated with 90 percent. The rise in exports value-wise is not as high as its volume. This is because the drop in palm oil commodity price. “There is a decline in price of non-oil and gas commodities. Some of them include palm oil and rubber. Meanwhile, those rising are coal, tin and aluminum,” said the Head of BPS Suhariyanto at BPS Headquarters, on Monday (04/17/2017).
Oil and gas with a share of 10 percent have a value of $1.48 billion. The driving factor is the price of crude oil and gas. “The rise in value is greater than the volume indicating there is price hike. Crude oil rises by 2.39 percent and gas price climbs 2.28 percent. Thus increasing because there is a rise in volume and price,” explained Suhariyanto. The non-oil and gas export share, from January to March, 2017, remained the largest export to China, contributing 12.79 percent or $4.69 billion. Next is the United States with $4.29 billion, its portion was 11.70 percent and India $3.41 billion with a share of 9.29 percent.
