VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia's imports in May 2019 reached US$14.53 billion, a drop of 5.62 percent than that recorded a month earlier, according to the Central Agency of Statistics (BPS).

In comparison with the corresponding month last year, imports in May 2019 decreased 17.71 percent, BPS Chief Suharyanto noted in Jakarta on Monday.

Imports in May 2019 constituted non-oil/non-gas imports worth $12.44 billion and oil and gas imports reaching $2.09 billion.

The non-oil/non-gas imports dropped 5.48 percent than April 2019 and 15.94 percent as compared to May 2018. Oil and gas imports plunged 6.41 percent than April 2019 and plummeted 26.89 percent in comparison with that recorded in May 2018.

Imports of electrical machines and appliances in May 2019 witnessed the sharpest shortfall among non-oil/non-gas commodities, while the imports of vegetables recorded the highest rise.

The imports of electrical machines and appliances decreased 8.68 percent to $158.5 million, while the imports of vegetables rose 269.50 percent to reach $69.8 million.

The BPS chief remarked that three nations listed as the biggest suppliers of non-oil/non-gas commodities to Indonesia during the January-May 2019 period were China, with $18.03 billion, or 29.31 percent of the overall imports; Japan, $6.46 billion, or 10.50 percent; and Thailand, with $3.95 billion, or 6.43 percent.

By and large, non-oil/non-gas imports from the ASEAN and European Union nations comprised 19.18 percent and 8.23 percent respectively of the total imports.

However, the imports of consumer goods, raw/auxiliary materials, and capital goods in the initial five months of 2019 dropped 11.10 percent, 9.39 percent, and 7.41 percent respectively than the corresponding time frame last year.  (ant)