JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Import of machinery and electricity equipment dropped 11.36% to US$8.95 billion in January-July 2015 period, from US$10.09 billion in the corresponding period of 2014.

This category of goods contributed 13.04% of total import of non oil and gas in the period (the second largest) which reached US$68.63 billion.

On July 2015, import of machinery and electricity equipment fell 21.6% to US$1.08 billion, compared to previous month’s US$1.37 billion.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s export of machinery and electricity equipment declined 12.26% to US$4.93 billion in January-July 2015, from US$5.62 billion in the same period of 2014. On July 2015, export of machinery and electricity equipment fell 16.13% to US$624.6 million from previous month of US$744.8 million.

Minister of Industry Saleh Husin pointed the export decline for machinery and electricity equipment to the weakening global market demand.

He said the government of Indonesia will boost the domestic industry by spending more local products.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo also urges local business players and entrepeneurs to purchase local ships, for instance, instead of buying ships from overseas or import.

The industry players, Jokowi urges, must expand their market shares in the country.