"We are optimistic exports will grow and reach US$200 billion this year," she said at a press conference after the presentation of financial notes by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to the parliament here on Tuesday.
She said exports in the first quarter this year had already risen by 36 percent from the previous period.
Based on previous experience usually exports would be bigger in the second semester, she said.
Although there has been an economic slowdown in the US and Europe, the situation would not affect Indonesia much, she said.
She said she had the optimism because around 70 percent of export destination countries are in Asia.
"So long as situation in Asia is not changed Indonesia will still be able to increase its exports," she said.
The National Statistics Agency predicts total exports in 2011 could surpass US$200 billion which is higher than US$157.73 billion.
"If everything is normal or no turbulence or eventualities occur exports in the second semester usually would be higher than in the first semester. Seeing the trend in the first semester this year`s exports could reach or surpass US$200 billion," the agency`s chief, Rusman Heriawan, said early this month.
According to data of the agency in the first six months this year exports were increasing to reach US$18.41 billion in June up 0.71 percent from the previous month.
Cumulatively the value of exports from January to June rose 36.02 percent compared to the same period last year. Of the US$98.64 billion of the total export value in the period, non-oil/gas exports comprised US$76.06 billion up 33.20 percent from the same period last year.
In the first semester this year Indonesia`s non-oil/gas exports mostly went to Japan worth US$8.97 billion or 11.35 percent of the total value of non-oil/gas exports, followed by China worth US$8.95 billion or 11.32 percent of the total value and the US worth US$7.90 billion or 9.99 percent of the total value. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
