The export value of South Sumatra (Sumsel) in December 2024 was recorded at USD 666.88 million or an increase compared to the same period in 2023. Head of the South Sumatra Central Statistics Agency (BPS) Moh Wahyu Yulianto explained that annual exports in South Sumatra at the end of last year experienced positive growth of 8.53%. The increase was driven by the non-oil and gas sector which grew 9.91% or from the previous USD 574.14 million to USD 631.01 million. Meanwhile, the oil and gas sector actually corrected (decreased) by 11.04%, from the previous USD 40.32 million to USD 35.87 million. The commodities that drove the increase in South Sumatra's exports year on year (yoy) include rubber and rubber goods, pulp or paper pulp, and coal commodities. Wahyu explained that Bumi Sriwijaya's exports based on its sector recorded agriculture with the highest export growth reaching 184.19% compared to December 2023 with a value of USD 9.99 million.
Then for other sectors including industry worth USD 315.80 million or growing 16.22%, mining USD 305.22 million or increasing 2.11%, and the oil and gas sector actually weakened 11.04% to USD 35.87 million. For the largest export share of South Sumatra is still to China with a value of USD 2,843.01 or reaching 36.98% and the commodities sent include pulp, lignite, and crumb rubber. The value of South Sumatra's imports in the same period was recorded at USD 105.51 million or down 41.10% yoy. Some of the commodities that caused it were machinery and mechanical equipment, rubber and rubber goods, and cereals. "If we classify it based on the use of goods, from the total imports of South Sumatra, the largest use is for capital goods reaching USD 55.29 million," said Wahyu. Thus, South Sumatra's trade balance in January 2025 experienced a surplus of USD 4.63 billion, with a breakdown of an oil and gas surplus of USD 31.00 million and non-oil and gas of USD 530.37 million.
