REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Trade Ministry will prepare an online hassle-free licensing system that will facilitate export-oriented industries to boost the competitiveness of the country's commodities.

"We will prepare an online system that will help to complete all formalities for exports. We will encourage exports, and all matters related to exports will certainly be given priority," Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita stated at an event to raise awareness on the economic policy package at the Trade Ministry in Jakarta on Thursday.

Enggar said one of the duties of the Trade Ministry is to maintain a favorable trade balance, which registered a surplus this month, but Indonesian exports and imports in July 2016 decreased as compared to the previous month.

According to the minister, the decline in trade was due to the Lebaran holidays and the global economic slowdown, which cannot be viewed as an excuse. Enggar emphasized that the domestic market must increase the quality of its products to boost their competitiveness against imported goods.

"We need to give priority to the domestic market as 250 million people could serve as a huge market. Do not blame the influx of goods, which is inevitable. The quality of our products must not be inferior to that of the import ones," Enggar noted.

The minister stated that the business community was instrumental in undertaking increased efforts and offering investment, so that the surplus in trade balance can be maintained.

Earlier, the Central Bureau of Statistics had remarked that Indonesia's exports had fallen by 26.67 percent in July 2016 as compared to the previous month, from US$ 12.9 billion to $ 9.5 billion. A similar trend was observed when exports dropped by 17.02 percent in July 2016, compared to the same period last year.

Furthermore, the value of Indonesia's imports in July 2016 reached $ 8.92 billion, down 26.28 percent compared to the previous month and fell by 11.56 percent than that recorded in July 2015.

Although the value of exports and imports declined, Indonesia's trade balance in July 2016 had registered a surplus of $ 598.3 million, triggered by the non-oil sector contributing $ 1.07 billion.

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