Indonesia predicted to boost car exports by 70% this year

Jakarta (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - Indonesia's car exports are forecast to shoot up 70 per cent to 93,000 units this year from 55,000 units in 2007, despite the global economic slowdown.

Producers have to boost exports to dispose of a surplus on the domestic market as a result of capacity expansion by a number of producers, the association of motorcycle industries (Gaikindo) said.

Gaikindo chairman Bambang Trisulo said the country's largest car maker, the Astra Group, has spent Rp2 trillion (US$222 million) to expand its capacity for Toyota and Daihatsu cars, while PT Astra Daihatsu Motor (ADM) has expanded its production capacity from 114,000 to 211,000 units and plans to double its exports to 48,000 units.