The Province of South Sulawesi (Sulsel) was able to record economic growth of 7.66 percent in the second quarter this year (Q2/2021). This figure is quite good considering that in the previous four quarters South Sulawesi’s economic growth contracted. One of the supporters of this economic growth is export performance.
“The economy grew 7.66 percent (YoY), after four quarters of contraction,” said Acting Governor of South Sulawesi, Andi Sudirman Sulaiman, at the Opening of the XXI ISEI Congress and 2021 National Seminar, South Sulawesi, Tuesday (31/8/2021).
image: Acting Governor of South Sulawesi, Andi Sudirman Sulaiman
According to Andi, the achievement of excellent economic growth is supported by various things. The first is the
step of the provincial government to continue to pursue the target for the realization of productive spending by carrying out strategic projects.
“We continue to maximize specific spending for handling Covid-19 for regional economic recovery,” he said.
The increase in South Sulawesi’s economic growth was also supported by an increase in exports. The increase in export performance is inseparable from the presence of Makassar New Port as a center for export activities from the Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua (Sulampua) regions.
With the Makassar New Port, the South Sulawesi Government wants to export products from agriculture to exceed mining exports. Because these two sectors only have a difference of 3 percent.
“Exports for agriculture are 11.45 percent and mining is 14.4 percent,” he said.
Sulampua Agglomeration
This increase in economic activity will affect economic growth in Maluku and Papua. Economic growth in the Sulampua agglomeration area was recorded at 25.3 percent and contributed 3.25 percent to national economic growth.
Makassar New Port has become the entry point for the supply of goods in Sulampua. So if this growth is consistent, then the Sulampua region will also be more developed and developing.
“This is the entrance to South Sulawesi, if it goes forward, Sulampua will advance,” he concluded.