Thursday, October 12, 2006

President Requests Increase in Export of Services

Thursday, 12 October, 2006 | 13:25 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has stated that it is high time for Indonesia to change its export focus from goods to services.

Yudhoyono said he was optimistic that Indonesia's exported products have a large potential in the international market make use of the richness of local cultures as its basis.

“The services sector has enormous potential for increasing national reserves,” he said during the opening of the 2006 Exported Products Fair yesterday (10/11) in Jakarta.

So far, Indonesian exports are still dominated by the export of goods and commodities.

However, all components that contribute to economic growth must move.

The President has ordered that everyone at the Department of Trade start exploring the potential of national services.

He explained that between January and August this year, the value of national exports has reached US$64.8 billion, a 17.1 percent increase compared to the same period in 2005.

It is estimated that by the end of the year, the value of national exports will reach US$100 billion, compared to the 2005 figure of US$85.7 billion.

“The growth of exports is still supported by the increase in commodity prices,” said the President.

Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said that the contribution of exported services to state reserves was only around US$3 billion.

Actually, according to Mari, the service sector has large potential.

“India, for instance. Its exports of services from the information technology industry reach US$31 billion,” she said.

Fery Firmansyah and RR Ariyani



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