Indonesia Maintains Trade Surplus for 59 Consecutive Months
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JAKARTA, investortrust.id – Indonesia has posted a trade surplus of US$ 4.33 billion in March 2025, extending its winning streak to 59 consecutive months, as stronger non-oil and gas exports continue to support the country's external balance.
This sustained surplus has been recorded every month since May 2020, according to the head of Statistics Indonesia, Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, who presented the monthly trade data on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the agency’s headquarters in Jakarta. The March surplus rose 1.23% from February, but on a year-on-year basis, it contracted slightly by 0.25%.
The surplus in March was primarily driven by a robust US$ 6 billion surplus in non-oil and gas trade. Top-performing export categories included animal and vegetable fats and oils, mineral fuels, and iron and steel—commodities that continue to anchor Indonesia’s industrial and resource-driven exports.
However, the overall balance was weighed down by a persistent deficit in the oil and gas sector, which stood at US$ 1.67 billion. “The main contributors to this deficit were crude oil and refined petroleum products,” said Amalia.
Statistics Indonesia, also known as BPS, reported that both exports and imports showed an uptick in March 2025. Exports rose to US$ 23.25 billion, up 5.95% month-on-month and 3.16% year-on-year. Imports reached US$ 18.92 billion, growing 0.38% on a monthly basis and 5.34% compared to the previous year.
Shifting global commodity prices also played a role in shaping Indonesia’s trade performance. “On a monthly basis, prices increased for metals, minerals, and precious metals,” Amalia noted. “Conversely, energy and agricultural commodity prices declined.”
One key drag on Indonesia’s export value was coal. The price of this key energy export dropped to its lowest level since May 2020, dampening export growth despite resilient volumes.