Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Textile Association (API) predicts the country`s textile exports may grow below their target figure due to the financial crises in the US and Europe.

"The two regions play an important role in supporting our export growth," API chief Ade Sudrajat said here on Tuesday.

He predicted the country`s exports may grow only nine percent or below API`s target of 15 percent.

According to API, Europe and the US are Indonesia`s main textile export destinations respectively absorbing 14 percent and 36 percent.

The drop in the demand in the two regions would automatically affect the country`s national textiles and textile products (TPT) exports.

Last year, the country`s TPT exports rose 21 percent to US$11 billion. With the growth of 9 percent TPT exports this year could reach US$12 billion.

Ade said the impact of crisis in the US and Europe would be felt in the short term period although it would not be as serious as during the 2008 global financial crisis.

Based on the National Statistics Agency data Indonesia`s non-oil/gas exports in July 2011 rose 28 percent to US$13.62 billion.

Cumulatively the non-oil/gas exports rose 32 percent to US$92.66 billion.

Exports of industrial products in July 2011 rose 34.8 percent to US$70.5 billion. Based on that, contribution of industrial product exports reached 60 percent which is the highest compared to that of agriculture and mining.

Trade minister Mari Elka Pangestu said the domination of industrial products in the country`s non-oil/gas exports was an indicator that the development of downstream industries in the country had been on the right track.
(T. ANT-258/Uu.H-YH/HAJM/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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