Papua's Exports Up 33.31 Pct In September

Jayapura, Papua, Dec 4 (ANTARA) - Papua`s exports rose 33.31 percent in September to US$202.23 million, according to the National Statistics Agency (BPS). "The hike was driven by an increase in the volume of copper ore and concentrate reaching US$192.27 million or up 38.64 percent from August," Head of BPS Papua office Djarot Soetanto, said here on Tuesday. He said exports from the eastern province were still dominated by copper ore and concentrate carried out through the Amamapare port which is the province`s main copper concentrate export gate. "A total of 95.08 percent of exports in September were carried out through Amamapare while the Bade port is the export gate for plywood to the Middle East," he said. Copper and concentrate have remained the main export commodities from the province with 92,000 tons of copper concentrate valued at US$192.27 million being exported in September. "The exports went to India, China, South Korea and Japan. While plywood exports went to the Middle East," he said. He said total exports to India, China, South Korea and Japan reached US$193.16 million. Other export destination countries are Singapore, Papua, Hong Kong and several Middle East countries. Cumulatively Papua`s exports from January to September 2012 dropped 51.62 percent to US$1,633.92 million from US$3,276.93 million in the same period last year, he said.