Indonesia's export to continue to fall

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

JAKARTA, Feb. 2 (Chinese media) -- Indonesia export will continue to decline this year, the Central Bureau of Statistics said here on Monday, as the global recession has further slumped demands from the country.

The country's overseas sales weakened by 11.59 percent to 7.45billion U.S. dollars in the month compared to the same period last year, Ali Rosidi, deputy chairman of the Central Bureau of Statistics, announced here Monday.

Indonesia is the world's biggest palm oil producer and the world's second biggest rubber maker.

The weakening of global demand has made the authorities to rely more on domestic market in the country with over 226 million population and diversify export market destination.

Indonesia's export is expected to continuously plunge this year as the deepening impact of the recession that will further slump demands from the emerging markets, including Indonesia, said Sri Mulyani Indrawati, minister of National Development Planning.

The government forecasts the economy to grow 4.5 percent this year while the World Bank forecasts 4.4 percent.