Rate of Workers in Agricultural Sector Down 1.4 PCT: BPS

Jakarta - The Central Board of Statistics (BPS) recorded that the number of workers in the agricultural sector decreased 1.4 percent from 39.33 million in August 2011 to 38.88 million in the same period this year. "The decline in the agricultural sector was caused by the fact that many workers, particularly mothers, left the workforce in August this year which coincided with the fasting month," Deputy for Social Statistics Affairs of BPS, Wynandin Imawan said. During the fasting month, there was no field in the agricultural field that could be cultivated causing many female workers to stay at home and to do homework. Wynandin Imawan said that the data also showed the work shift in the labor force over the past one year from the agricultural field to the household. "About 32.89 million took care of household last year but this year it increased to 33.6 million," he said. However, he said, the agricultural sector grew by 6.15 percent despite the fact that workers in that field declined. The agricultural sector was the biggest contributor to Indonesia's economic growth in the third quarter of 2012 which rose year-on-year to 6.17 percent. Besides in the agricultural sector, the absorption of workers in the trade sector also experienced a decline by 1.07 percent or 250,000 in the same period. The decline of workers also happened in the transportation, warehousing and communications sectors at a rate of 1.57 percent or about 80,000 workers. However, unlike the sectors mentioned above, the absorption of workers increased in the industrial, construction and social services increased. (*)