JAKARTA, July 11 (Xinhua) -- An Indonesia's senior minister said on Monday that the nation may see 5 percent growth in the first half of this year, thanks to the delay of harvesting period.
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution estimated that increasing contribution from the agriculture sector to the nation's growth by the end of second quarter this year would be significant with the upcoming harvesting period.
He estimated that the growth may reach between 5 to 5.1 percent, or higher than 4.92 percent recorded in the first quarter this year.
"Should the harvesting period occur in the first quarter, I estimated that the growth would reach 5 percent in the first three months," he said in his office here, describing significant impact of harvesting period for the growth.
He added that the escalating of public spending during Muslim festivity of Idul Fitri would not affect the growth in the second quarter, saying that it would be accounted in the third quarter this year.
"It would not affect the first half growth," he added.
Despite the continuing economy slowdown in global markets, Darmin believed that Indonesia's economy would still prevail, thanks to the massive infrastructure projects and issuance of government's economic reform policies.
