East Java's Imports Reach US$1.975 Billion in First Quarter

Surabaya, E Java (Antara) - East Java's imports rose 3.16 percent to US$6.045 billion in the first quarter of 2014 from US$5.860 billion in the same period last year. "In the first quarter of 2014, oil and gas imports contributed US$1.871 billion to the overall imports. The figure represented a 17.38 percent increase compared to the same period last year when it was recorded at US$1.594 billion," head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Office in East Java M Sairi Hasbullah said here on Wednesday. Cumulatively, non-oil/non-gas imports in the January-March 2014 quarter contributed US$4.174 billion to the overall imports. The figure represented a 2.15 percent decline compared to US$4.266 billion in the same period last year. Just in March 2014, imports touched US$1.975 billion, up 7.91 percent from US$1.831 billion a month earlier, he said. Oil and gas imports in March 2014 touched US$634.84 million, a 16.29 percent increase compared to US$545.91 million in February 2014, he said. Non-oil/non-gas imports were valued at US$1.340 billion in March 2014, up 4.35 percent from US$1.284 billion in February 2014, he said. "During March 2014, East Java's non-oil/non-gas imports were dominated by machines/mechanical appliances valued at US$157.79 million," he said. The import of iron and steel was recorded at US$139.80 million, plastics and plastic products at US$104.77 million, machines/electrical appliances at US$77.11 million and wheat at US$69.88 million. (*)