Indonesia Favored with Surplus of US$11.84 Billion in International Trade

Jakarta, MINA – The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said Indonesia was favored with a surplus of US$11.84 billion in its international trade last year , larger than previous year`s surplus of US$9.53 billion.

Head of BPS Suhariyanto told reporters here on Monday the surplus in 2017 was the largest since 2013. In 2013 and 2014 the country suffered a deficit in international trade before starting to chalk up surplus in 2015.

He said in 2013 and 2014, there were deficits of US$4.06 billion and US$2.3 billion respectively and in 2015, the surplus was US$7.67 billion.

The surplus in 2017 was attributable to US$20 billion surplus in the trade of commodities other than oil and gas with deficit of US$8.56 billion in the oil and gas sector reducing the total sutpolus to US$11.84 billion.

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Significant surpluses were recorded in trade with the United States, the Netherlands and India while trade with China, Thailand and Australia left a deficit.

“We had a surplus of US$10.16 bullion in trade with India, US$9.44 billion in trade with the United States and US$3.03 billion with the Netherlands,” Antara News uoted Suhariyanto as saying.

Indonesian exports in 2017 totaled US$168.73 billion or an increase of 16.22 percent from the export value in 2016.

Meanwhile, imports were valued at US$156.89 billion in 2017, or an increase of 15.66 percent from the previous year.

In December, 2017 alone the trade left a deficit of US$0.27 billion caused by a deficit of US$1.04 billion in oil and gas trade.

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The increase in exports and imports indicated healthier economy to follow the global trade picking up lately. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)