Indonesia records 60pc trade surplus in 2019

THE volume of trade between Indonesia and PNG last year was about US$200mil (K678.8mil) – with Indonesia enjoying a trade surplus of about 60 per cent.
This is according to Indonesia’s Ambassador to PNG, Andriana Supandy.
“If you compare the 2019 trade volume between the two countries, last year, we reached the total volume of US$200mil. We exported around US$160mil (K543.10mil). We imported from PNG around US$52mil (K176.51mil),” Supandy said.
“So Indonesia is still enjoying the surplus.
“That’s why, as the ambassador and all my colleagues here at the embassy, we are always encouraging the stakeholders in Indonesia that we have to build more with our partners in PNG.”
He said Indonesia exported mostly consumer goods to PNG.
“From Indonesia, we export a lot of the consumer goods, manufactured products, machinery, spare parts, electric equipment and rubber products.
“And from PNG, we import mostly commodities, like vanilla, especially from Maprik, cocoa and coffee.
“That’s why I have talked to relevant authorities here on what sort of products they think could be exported to Indonesia.
“Like the Prime Minister has proposed, we would be interested to export more from PNG the agri-business products, maritime products and cattle products.
“In general, our products to Papua New Guinea is surplus. But in the area of border trade, Papua New Guineans benefit as well.”