The contribution of non-mining commodity exports to the trade balance in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) stands at only about two percent, with mining commodities still dominating as the main backbone. Economist Muhammad Firmansyah from Mataram University highlighted efforts to increase non-mining exports, noting that current capacity significantly lags behind mining. Challenges include limited production and sustainability of agricultural and marine exports in NTB, which need improvement. Firmansyah emphasized the need for standardized international pricing and quality for industrial exports that meet global market demands. Infrastructure to reach export markets for non-mining commodities also requires enhancement, exploring optimal export destinations.
According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), NTB's export value plummeted by 99.64% in June 2024 compared to May 2024 due to the expiration of mineral mining export permits on May 31, 2024, resulting in zero recorded exports for NTB in June 2024. In the previous month, NTB's exports were solely supported by non-mining commodities, totaling USD 1.81 million. Key non-mining exports included fish and shrimp (57.63% of total exports, approximately USD 1.05 million), jewelry and gems (25.86%, around USD 470,000), limestone (9.87%, about USD 179,197), processed meat and fish (4.60%, around USD 83,512), electrical machinery and equipment (1.55%, approximately USD 28,125), and oilseeds (0.48%, about USD 8,682). Despite the significant volume of non-mining commodity exports from NTB, most export activities are conducted through ports and airports outside NTB, such as Tanjung Perak Port in East Java, Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, and Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Banten. The NTB government is exploring cooperation with East Java to redirect export activities from Tanjung Perak Port to ports within NTB, aiming for accurate export records reflecting NTB's product contributions.
