Jakarta – Higher crude palm oil and rubber production contributed to a 19 percent increase in the country's non-oil and gas exports during the first 10 months of the year, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has reported.

Non-oil and gas exports during the period increased to US$54.5 billion from $45.9 billion compared to the corresponding period last year.

Exports of rubber and rubber products as of October 2005 experienced the biggest increase at 14 percent to $2.8 billion this year compared to $2.4 billion last year.

The surging global price of rubber and increasing demand, especially from rapidly growing China, contributed to the increase in the value of Indonesia's exports of the commodity.

Meanwhile, exports of vegetable oil products, mainly crude palm oil and its derivatives, were up by 11 percent to $3.9 billion from $3.5 billion last year, also due to higher global demand despite declining world prices.

Supported by stronger global demand for electronic and mechanical goods, January-to-October total exports stood at $6.1 billion, a 9 percent increase over the same period in the previous year.

As of October this year, exports of electronics rose to $6.1 billion from $5.6 billion in the same period last year.

Non-oil and gas exports during the January-October period accounted for almost 78 percent of Indonesia's total income from international trade.

Sales of oil and gas, meanwhile, rose 22.2 percent in the same period to $15.8 billion.

Indonesia's exports hit a record high last year, reaching $69.71 billion, up 11.49 percent from 2003. This was mainly attributable to strong sales of non-oil and gas commodities and manufactured goods, including palm oil, electronic goods, clothing, coal and tin.

However, the Ministry of Trade's research unit warned that the increase would probably be lower this year – at between 13 percent and 14 percent – due to a shift to online recording.

The country's trade balance recorded a surplus of $21.6 billion as of October this year, with imports standing at $48.6 billion.

The BPS also reported that January-October imports increased 29.13 percent to $48.63 million from $37.66 million in the same period last year. Of this figure, oil and gas imports rose by 58.59 percent while non-oil and gas imports were up by 19.41 percent.