Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia enjoyed a surplus in both its non-oil/non-gas and oil/gas trading activities with other countries in September 2011, namely to the amounts of US$2 billion and US$0.8 billion respectively, a Trade Ministry official said.

Likewise, the country`s balance of trade recorded another surplus either for oil/gas or non-oil/non-gas commodities, Director General of Foreign Trade at the Trade Ministry Deddy Saleh said here on Tuesday.

"The industrial sector dominated non-oil/non-gas exports," he said.

He said in the January-September 2011 period, exports from the industrial sector recorded the highest growth of 33.4 percent to US$91.8 billion from US$68.8 billion in the same period last year.

Non-oil/non-gas exports grew 31.7 percent in the nine months through September with the industrial sector contributing 25 percent, the mining sector 6.4 percent and the agricultural sector 0.2 percent to the overall non-oil/non-gas exports in the period, he said.

"The dominance of the industrial sector in non-oil/non-gas exports can be one of the indicators that the domestic industry continues to grow in line with the program to promote downstream industries," he said.

He said the export of 10 key non-oil/non-gas commodities except cocoa was on the increase in the first eight months of 2011.

Processed cocoa exports jumped 86.4 percent, however, cocoa bean exports plunged 50.1 percent, he said.

"The increase in the export of processed cocoa and other manufactured goods such as textiles and textile products, rubber and rubber products, footwear and automotive products indicates an improving output of the manufacturing industry. It also suggests developments which match the government`s policy to promote downstream industry.

Among the commodities that saw the highest export growth were rubber which rose 70.7 percent, coffee and oil palm 52.6 percent and 50.2 percent respectively.

"The growth of rubber, coffee and palm oil exports was driven by improving prices in the global market," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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