REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesia has recorded the “black month” in Indonesian economyc history. For the first time, Indonesia posted a record trade deficit of 1.54 billion USD.

Central Statistics Agency (BPS) claimed that the purchase of aircraft contributed highly to the surge of import. "We have to admit that it is the highest deficit in the history of Indonesian trade," Deputy of Statistics, Distribution and Service of BPS, Sasmito Hadi Wibowo, said on Monday.

BPS records that exports in October were 15.67 billion USD while imports rose 11 percent to 17.21 billion USD. Wibowo said Indonesia imported several aircraft in the amount of 331.13 million USD in October. It rose 234 percent compared to previous month.

Indonesia suffered deficit several times in 2012. In April, the deficit was 640 million USD. From May to July, Indonesia is also deficit on 490 million USD, 1.33 billion USD and 176 million USD.

Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan sees the performance positively. He said that the import in October was dominated by raw materials. The imports, he said, would affect investment performance. "It will create more job opportunity," he said. Wirjawan expects the future exports to be dominated with value-added products.

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