VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Central Bureau of Statistics Agency -BPS noted that the value of Indonesia's imports in July 2018 reached 18.27 billion US dollars, up 62.17 percent, from month to month, compared to June. Similarly when compared to July 2017, from year after year, imports increased by 31.56 percent. Head of the agency, Suhariyanto, in a press statement in Jakarta on Wednesday (15/8) said that Indonesia's imports were dominated by auxiliary raw materials and capital goods. In the period of July 2018, the highest import contribution was contributed by the consumption sector of 1.72 billion US dollars, up 70.50 percent.

"The contribution from our consumption imports was only 9.41 percent. While the auxiliary raw material was 74.8 percent and capital goods 15 percent. So our import structure is still dominated by auxiliary raw materials and capital goods. What moves there, we see for consumption first. Our import value is 1.72 billion US dollars, if we compare the month to month it is up 70.05 percent. Some commodities that experienced a large increase were rice," said Suharyanto.

Suhariyanto further explained that imports of capital goods rose substantially in July compared to June, including gas engines, portable receivers and several types of heavy vehicles, such as trucks and excavators. While some imports of raw materials rose high, namely cotton, soybean foods, and some chemicals. Imports in July 2018, which has increased to 62.17 percent or US $ 18.27 billion, is the highest increase since the 2013 import record. These conditions have caused Indonesia's trade balance to be deficit. (VOI/Rezha/AHM)