East Java Export to ASEAN Countries Increase

Surabaya, E Java (Antara) - East Java's exports to ASEAN member states continue to increase as the province is gearing up for the implementation of Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015. "East Java's exports surged 42.16 percent to the tune of US$244.405 million in August 2014 from US$171.925 million in the previous month ," Head of the Central Statistics (BPS) Office in East Java M Sairi Hasbullah said here on Monday. The August 2014 exports mostly went to Malaysia with a value of US$191.849 million, up by 61.48 percent from US$74.219 million in July 2014. Thailand came in second with a value of US$57.212 million in August 2014, a 32.54 percent increase compared with US$44.614 million a month earlier, he said. Singapore was ranked third with a value of US$47.616 million, up 28.24 percent from the previous month when it was recorded at US$35.925 million. Exports to other ASEAN member states contributed US$19.726 million to the province's foreign exchange coffers, representing a 14.92 percent rise compared with US$17.165 million in July. Cumulatively, East Java's exports to ASEAN member states in the January-August 2014 period reached US$1.721 billion, up by 18.50 percent from the same period last year. "Over the period, Malaysia remained the biggest market for East Java's exports among ASEAN member states, with a value of US$712.502 million, an 8.17 percent increase from US$658.718 million in the same period last year," he said. (*)