JAKARTA - The results of the Business Activity Survey (SKDU) indicate that business activities increased in the first quarter of 2021. This is reflected in the weighted net balance (WNB) [1] of 4.50%, improving from -3.90% in the fourth quarter of 2020.
The increase was driven by the positive performance of a number of sectors, including the mining and quarrying sector, agriculture, plantations, animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries, and the manufacturing sector. Respondents stated that the improvement in the performance of the mining sector was driven by strong demand. Meanwhile, the Agriculture, Plantation, Animal Husbandry, Forestry and Fisheries sectors are supported by the main harvest season for food crop commodities (tabama), while the processing industry sector is driven by increasing demand ahead of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
In line with the development of business activities, used production capacity was 73.38% in the first quarter of 2021, an increase from the achievement in the previous quarter of 71.96%. The use of labor is also indicated to improve, although still in a contractionary phase, with financial conditions in the business world in normal condition.
In the second quarter of 2021, respondents predicted that business activities would further strengthen with a WNB of 18.87%. According to the economic sector, increases are predicted in all economic sectors, particularly the manufacturing sector, the trade sector, hotels and restaurants, as well as the agriculture, plantation, animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries. (LM)