Jakarta, Feb 3 (Antara) - Indonesia will continue to boost its exports following success achieved in improving its export performance in 2017 after years of sluggish markets.
In a bid to increase exports, the government will continue to promote Indonesia's products and expand its markets to non-traditional destination countries. Moreover, the government will evaluate the performance of its trade promotion centers.
Last year, Indonesia was able to book an export growth of 19.8 percent, exceeding its growth target of 5.6 percent. According to the Trade Ministry's records, total exports have increased from US$145.2 billion in 2016 to $168.73 billion last year.
Of the $168.73 billion worth of exports last year, the manufacturing sector contributed $125 billion, or some 76 percent.
"One of the important factors to spur industrial growth is easy access to expand both domestic and foreign markets. If the market is used optimally, production can be increased maximally," Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto noted in a statement released on Wednesday.
Hence, the government will give priority to the development of export-oriented industries in a bid to boost the country's economic growth.
To this end, strategic steps are needed in the manufacturing sector to increase productivity and competitiveness in the global market, Minister Hartarto noted at a working meeting of the ministry in Jakarta on Thursday (Feb 1).
"We still rely on the manufacturing sector for exports. We are like mid-fielders in sending the soccer ball to the Trade Ministry to handle the marketing with its Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) and Trade Attaché," Hartarto noted.
This is in line with the Trade Ministry's efforts to evaluate the performance of the ITPC. According to Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, the Trade Ministry will evaluate the performance of ITPC and several attachés posted overseas in order to boost exports this year.
The ITPC and trade attaché have played an important role in identifying the market outlook. In 2017, the ministry had relocated two trade centers from Lyon, France, and Copenhagen, Denmark, to Istanbul, Turkey, and Hanoi, Vietnam. The ministry has also set up a new location in Shanghai, China.
"We are now re-evaluating the ITPC achievements as well as performance of the trade attachés at our embassies overseas," Lukita noted during the 2018 Annual Working Meeting of the Trade Ministry in Jakarta on Wednesday (Jan 31).
In a bid to boost exports to non-traditional markets, Lukita revealed that the ministry had sent its trade mission to South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Russia, and Chile, with transactions worth $264.7 million, or more than Rp3.57 trillion.
"Non-oil and gas exports to non-traditional markets, such as Africa, Latin America, Middle East, and South Asia, have shown positive growth in 2017," he remarked.
He believed that this positive momentum has continued into early 2018.
"I accompanied the president on his tour to South Asia, covering Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Apart from accelerating the international negotiation process, we also sent a trade mission to India, with potential transactions reaching $2.16 billion (Rp28.6 trillion) and another mission to Pakistan, with transactions worth $115.02 million (1.52 trillion)," he elaborated.
In 2018, the ministry has planned to open a trade attaché in Islamabad and launch a new ITPC in Karachi, Pakistan, Lukita emphasized.
Apart from the ITPC and trade attaché, the minister is also seeking to ink several bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, including the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. For multilateral pacts, the ministry will call on other countries to conclude the negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Thus, in 2018, the minister has targeted to raise non-oil and gas exports by five to seven percent, while at the same time maximizing the distribution to non-traditional markets.
In the energy sector, the ministry has signed an agreement to export liquefied natural gas to Pakistan and Bangladesh worth $10 billion (Rp13.5 trillion).
"India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are among the 10 largest contributors to Indonesia's trade surplus," he stated, adding that the three countries are expecting more Indonesian products to enter their markets.
Lukita revealed that the country's exports in 2017 had reached $168.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 19.8 percent, surpassing the previous target of a 5.6 percent increase.
The minister disclosed that the exports were supported by an increase in the non-oil and gas exports, at 15.8 percent, and oil and gas exports, at 20.1 percent. The trade ministry had implemented some strategies to increase exports and had reoriented the task of trade representatives overseas.
In the meantime, Industry Minister Hartarto remarked that the manufacturing industry had contributed some 76 percent to the export performance last year.
Hence, the government will give priority to the development of export-oriented industries this year in a bid to achieve its target of an export growth of some five to seven percent in 2018.
Last year, the country's exports of manufactured goods were valued at $125 billion, or 76 percent of the country's total exports of $168.73 billion.
Hartarto noted that the five largest contributors to the country's export earnings in 2017 comprised the food processing industry, chemical industry, basic metal industry, rubber and rubber goods industry, and plastic and plastic goods industry.
"In the time ahead, we will improve the competitiveness of other sectors, such as automotive and the electronics industry, which are also major economic drivers," he noted.
He stated that the ministry will also focus on expanding the export market of products of small and medium enterprises through the e-smart program.***3***(A014/INE)
EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 03-02-2018 12:2 |
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