REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The trade ministry sets the country's export target at US$192.5 billion this year or a significant increase from last year's target of 184.3 billion USD.

"The country's export performance in 2015 is predicted to improve in line with the global economic recovery led by the United State," Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel told reporters here on Tuesday (6/1).

The United States, the world's largest economy, is expected to post an economic growth of 3.1 percent this year and its imports are forecast to increase 5.4 percent, Gobel said.

The increase in the US imports would open greater opportunity for Indonesia to boost exports to that country, he said.

Meanwhile, Director General of Foreign Trade Partogi Pangaribuan said Indonesia would gain from the positive trend in the global economy.

"Improvements have been recorded in the US and European economy. Therefore, we are confident we could boost exports ," Partogi said.

The oil price fall gave the industries a jolt into life improving purchasing power resulting in an increase in demand for imports abroad, he said.

Director General of the National Export Expansion Nus Nuzulia Ishak said exports of a number of commodities are predicted to grow 300 percent until 2019.

Export commodities would be dominated by manufactured goods divided into a number of groups, Nus said.

"Manufactured goods include textiles and textile products,electronic goods, chemicals, timber goods and paper and furniture," Nus said.

Other commodities in another group are automotive products, machinery, plastic goods, medical equipment, etc, footwear, rubber goods , leather craft and leather products and essential oils.

In the next 5 years, the trade ministry predicted that the country's exports would grow 300 percent with 4.6 million new jobs open and an increase in foreign direct investment of 40.5 billion USD per year. 

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika