Nickel and Steel Become the Main Contributors to the Trade Balance Surplus
Mon 01 Dec 2025, 06:46 AM
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Statistics Indonesia (BPS) reported that animal/vegetable fats and oils, fuel oil (BBM), iron and steel, nickel products, and footwear were the main contributors to Indonesia’s trade surplus from January to October 2025.
BPS Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics, Pudji Ismartini, explained that animal/vegetable fats and oils contributed USD 28.12 billion in trade gains, fuel oil USD 22.59 billion, iron and steel USD 15.79 billion, nickel products USD 7.39 billion, and footwear USD 5.47 billion.
Cumulatively, Indonesia’s trade balance from January to October 2025 posted a surplus of USD 35.88 billion. This figure rose by USD 10.98 billion compared with the same period last year (year-on-year/YoY).
“Indonesia’s trade balance has recorded a surplus for 66 consecutive months since May 2020. The surplus during January–October 2025 was supported by a non-oil and gas surplus of USD 51.51 billion, while oil and gas commodities still recorded a deficit of USD 15.63 billion,” Pudji said in Jakarta, Monday, December 1, 2025, as quoted by Antara.
Pudji said total exports in January–October 2025 reached USD 234.04 billion, up 6.96 percent compared with USD 218.82 billion in the same period last year.
She explained that Indonesia’s top three export destinations are China, the United States, and India, with combined contributions to total non-oil and gas exports reaching 41.84 percent.
Export value to China reached USD 52.45 billion or 23.51 percent, to the United States USD 25.56 billion or 11.46 percent, and to India USD 15.32 billion or 6.87 percent.
Furthermore, exports to China were dominated by iron and steel, fuel oil, and nickel products. Meanwhile, exports to the United States were dominated by machinery and electrical equipment, apparel and accessories (knitted), and footwear.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s import value in January–October 2025 reached USD 198.16 billion, an increase of 2.19 percent compared with the same period last year. The main contributors still came from the non-oil and gas sector, with imports of USD 171.61 billion, up 4.95 percent. Oil and gas imports fell 12.67 percent to USD 26.56 billion.
From the usage perspective, the main increase in imports occurred in capital goods, reaching USD 40.55 billion, up 18.67 percent compared with the same period last year.
The agency noted that over the 10 months of 2025, China was the primary country of origin for Indonesia’s non-oil and gas imports with a value of USD 70.19 billion or 40.9 percent, followed by Japan at USD 12.17 billion or 7.09 percent, and the United States at USD 8.17 billion or 4.76 percent.
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