North Sumatra`s q1 exports to China up 21 pct

Monday, 14 June 2010 14:00

North Sumatra`s exports to China in the first quarter of 2010 rose 21.10 percent to US$247.153 million from a year earlier. The export performance was encouraging amidst concern about a glut of Chinese products into Indonesia following the coming into force early this year of ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), Head of the North Sumatra Provincial Statistics Office Alimuddin Sidabalok said here on Saturday. He said North Sumatra in the first quarter of 2010 enjoyed a surplus of US$37.020 million in its trade with China. Over the period, North Sumatra`s exports to China totaled US$247.153 million while its imports from the Asian economic giant reached US$210.133 million. Hopefully, North Sumatra still would see a surplus in its trade with China this year despite the fact that its first-quarter exports to China grew 21.10 percent while its imports from the latter rose 36.28 percent, he said. "If China remains the biggest importer of North Sumatra`s crude palm oil and natural rubber this year, North Sumatra will still enjoy a surplus in its trade with China," he said. Judging by the 36.28 percent increase in North Sumatra`s first- quarter imports from China, Chief of the North Sumatra Chapter of the Indonesian Businessmen Association (Apindo) Parlindungan Purba said the association would again ask the government to tighten its control of imported goods particularly illegal ones from China. Moreover, the increase in the import of goods from China had narrowed the trade surplus to about US$30 million, he said. Chinese goods were expected to flood the domestic market particularly ahead of religious holidays, he said. "Although Indonesia and China have reached a free trade agreement it does not mean that the government is no longer obliged to protect domestic products,