VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said Indonesia`s export growth in August 2018 was recorded at 4.15 percent compared to that of August 2017 (year-on-year / yoy) and it could still be increased.

"In terms of exports, its growth is close to 5 percent for year-on-year, but in my opinion, the growth can be increased," Sri Mulyani said in Jakarta on Monday.

Indonesia`s exports in August 2018 stood at $15.82 billion, down by 2.90 percent as compared to the previous month. However, the exports in August 2018 rose by 4.15 percent as compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, the imports in August 2018 got tumbled by $1.457 billion, or 7.97 percent, to $16.839 billion as compared to the previous month. Sri Mulyani said she continued monitoring developments related to the balance of payments, especially the current account deficit.

According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia recorded a trade deficit of US$1.02 billion in August 2018, down from $2.01 billion a month earlier. The deficit was mainly driven by a deficit of $1.66 billion in the oil and gas sector though the non-oil/non-gas sector enjoyed a surplus of $0.64 billion, BPS Chief Kecuk Suhariyanto earlier noted while divulging information on the developments of the country`s exports and imports in July 2018 at the BPS office.

Indonesia had recorded a trade surplus of $1.74 billion in June 2018, with exports rising 11.47 percent to $13 billion, and imports growing 12.68 percent to $11.26 billion, according to the BPS. The figure surpassed Bank Indonesia`s trade surplus forecast of close to $1 billion. June 2018`s surplus overturned a trade deficit of $1.45 billion a month earlier. (ant)