Employment Improving, Not Fully Recovered Yet, Says Minister Airlangga

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto claims Indonesia’s employment continues to show positive signs of growth which he believes coincides with Indonesia's economy that has grown to a claimed 5.72 percent (YoY) during the third quarter in 2022.  He mentioned this during a virtual press conference on November 7.

However, Airlangga added, the employment situation had not returned to the conditions before the Covid-19 pandemic, which is the benchmark of a fully-recovered situation. In fact, the working-age population has decreased significantly.

In line with that, the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy noted that data as of August 2022 illustrates that the open unemployment rate has fallen to 5.86 percent. This figure is lower than in August 2021 which was 6.49 percent.

Data that indicate signs of a strengthening economy, he explained, was supported by the average wage in August 2022, which reached Rp3 million. This is an increase compared to August 2021 of 12.22 percent. Likewise, the farmer's exchange rate in October 2022 rose 0.42 percent month to month at the level of 107.27.

Airlangga said the performance of the horticultural sector decreased by 4.14 percent. "This was driven by the decline in the prices of red chilies, cayenne peppers, shallots, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, and mangoes," he said.

KHORY ALFARIZI | RIRI RAHAYU

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