AGRICULTURE CONTRIBUTES 4.7 PCT TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

Jakarta, May 12 (ANTARA) - The agricultural sector contributed 4.7 percent to national economic growth in 2008 which was higher than predicted at 3.2 percent, a minister said.

Minister for National Development Planning/Chairman of the National Development Panning Board (Bappenas) Paskah Suzetta said earlier it was predicted the agricultural sector would contribute 3.2 percent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"In 2008, the agricultural sector contributed 4.7 percent to the GDP which was higher than the predicted 3.2 percent," the minister told participants of a national working meeting of the Development Planning Board here on Tuesday.

He said in the first quarter of 2009, the agricultural sector still contributed significantly to economic growth.

The minister said production in the agricultural sector experienced an increase of up to 5 percent from the figure in 2007. Last year, dry unhusked rice production reached 60.25 million tons.

In the meantime the infrastructure sector, the minister said that the construction roads in 2008 covered a length of 28,000 km or about 83.23 percent of the country's national roads.

In 2008, the government also finished expansion work for a total of 14 airports, including those in the border areas and built additional 6 airports for public services and pioneer services. It also built pioneer ports and gas pipeline networks.***2***