The top Indonesian exporters for 2007.

The annual Primaniyarta awards, the government’s highest recognition for both local and foreign owned businesses in the country that achieved excellent export performance, were handed last week.

“Primaniyarta” is derived from a Sanskrit word that means high performing in the search for foreign exchange, apparently. nafed

The panel of judges for the awards consists of representatives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, academia, the media, trade associations and government agencies.

The winners:

Small and Medium Businesses

1. PT Rattan Land Furniture
2. CV Rasdi & Co.
3. CV Magetan Putra
4. PT Mama Leon
5. PT Indorama
6. PT Kharisma Interplast Pratama
7. PT Jedok Stone Work
8. PT Rumpun Bambu Kreasi
9. PT Mahligai Rattan

Global Brand Development

“Global Brand Development” is a special assessment category for companies that have exported products under their own brand name to at least three countries within the last three years.

1. PT Ateja Multi Industri
2. PT Inti Keramik Alamasri Industri
3. PT Muliakeramik Indahraya
4. PT Megasurya Mas
5. PT Bukit Perak
6. PT Tjiwi Kimia Papers
7. PT Astra Otopart
8. PT Cahaya Sakti Furintraco

Sound Performing Exporters

1. PT Sorini Agro Asia Corporindo
2. PT Pura Barutama
3. PT Alumindo Light Metal Industry
4. PT Sarimakmur Tunggalmandiri
5. PT Mataram Tunggal Garment
6. PT Musim Mas
7. PT Erna Djuliawati
8. PT Adaro Indonesia
9. PT Karya Putrakreasi Nusantara
10. PT Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper
11. PT Indorama Synthetics
12. PT LG Electronics Indonesia

Meanwhile, Trade minister Mari Pangestu said on 24th October that the Indonesian export sector had recovered to pre-1997 economic crisis levels, “in terms of market share, in terms of the growth rate”.

However she said export growth was primarily driven by commodities, rather than manufacturing, the latter of which had an annual growth rate of 5 to 10% in recent years. One problem related to this was that commodities industries, in contrast to manufacturing, employed relatively few people.

We haven’t seen the growth that we would have liked in the labour-intensive industries.

In manufacturing one exception to Indonesia’s lacklustre export performance was in consumer electronics but such areas as textiles and footwear were stagnant.

Pangestu said Indonesia would try to attract more investment in manufacturing by reforming labour laws, “in the near future”.

The main issue companies complain about is the high cost of retrenchment compared to other countries.

Last year labor unions led large demonstrations against proposed changes in the law, which caused parliament to delay the measures. antara