JAKARTA, Feb 1: Indonesian exports fell 9.8 per cent in 2001, the biggest percentage slump in 12 years, the Central Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.

Bureau head Sudarti Surbakti said exports last year fell to $56.035 billion from $62.124 billion in 2000.

“Percentage-wise, the 2001 exports decline is the biggest fall in the last 12 years, although in terms of value, it is still higher than in 1997,” the year of the Asian financial crisis, she told reporters.

ING Barings analyst Laksono Widodo said the fall in exports was mainly due to the global economic slowdown. Imports slid to $30.786 billion from $33.514 billion a year earlier.—AFP