BPS: 2009 EXPORT TARGET MAY BE REACHED

Jakarta, Jan 4 (ANTARA) - Indonesia's exports in 2009 may drop by 10 percent as expected, the head of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Rusman Heriawan, said here on Monday.

"Total exports in 2009 will depend upon the performance in December. If it is good total exports may drop only 10 percent as expected. Right now the value is still minus 13.17 percent for non-oil and gas exports," he said.

He said according to BPS exports from January to November 2009 reached US$103.15 billion, dropping 19.5 percent from the same period of 2008.

The value of non-oil and gas exports in the period reached US$86.64 billion, sliding 13.71 percent from the same period of 2008.

"Coal exports dropped the biggest reaching US$347.9 million while the biggest increase was recorded by cacao exports reaching US$21 million," he said.

Industrial products dropped the biggest by 20.97 percent followed by agricultural products 6.12 percent while exports of mining products rose 28.11 percent.

"Export performance is saved by exports of mining products," he said.