Exports Surge Nearly 12% to $27.6 Billion in September as Manufacturing Output Jumps

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesia’s export growth accelerated sharply in September 2026, buoyed by double-digit expansion across manufactured goods and processed base metals that outpaced sluggish extractive commodity segments, according to data released Monday by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Outbound shipments climbed 11.87% year-on-year to reach $27.59 billion in September, up from the same month last year. The surge was driven almost entirely by the non-oil and gas sector, which offset a marginal contraction in petroleum and natural gas sales. Non-oil and gas shipments expanded 12.39% annually to $26.64 billion, while oil and gas exports dipped 0.99% to $0.95 billion.

The solid trade print underscores the expanding role of domestic industrial downstreaming in insulating Southeast Asia’s largest economy from global resource volatility. As global manufacturing cycles rebound and appetite for critical transition metals and refined agricultural commodities remains robust, Indonesia's value-added industrial base is providing an essential trade surplus buffer, helping anchor external resilience and foreign exchange liquidity.

Manufacturing Drives Broad-Based Gains

Speaking at the agency’s headquarters in Jakarta, BPS Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics Ateng Hartono noted that the non-oil and gas expansion was dominated by the manufacturing sector. Industrial factory shipments generated $23.27 billion, jumping 16.78% year-on-year and contributing 13.56 percentage points to the aggregate export increase.

The acceleration in manufacturing deliveries was anchored by strong international demand for leading processed commodities, including crude palm oil, refined copper, nickel, organic agricultural-based chemicals, and aluminum products.

Commodity-level data revealed notable annual momentum across specific categories. Outbound sales of animal and vegetable fats and oils vaulted 89.04% year-on-year, contributing 8.47 percentage points to the aggregate national export rise. Copper and related manufactured goods experienced an even steeper climb, surging 165.97% compared to September 2025 and contributing 1.64 percentage points, while electrical machinery, equipment, and components rose 24.37% annually to add 1.61 percentage points.

Extractive Sectors Drag on Top-Line Performance

In contrast to the buoyant industrial performance, Indonesia's primary extractive sectors faced annual contractions during the month. Shipments from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries fell 18.14% year-on-year to $0.51 billion, reflecting seasonal output shifts and softer pricing dynamics.

The mining and other extractive sector also weighed on performance, declining 9.37% year-on-year to $2.86 billion, as cooler raw mineral pricing and domestic processing mandates continued to rechannel extraction toward local smelters rather than overseas raw bulk trade.

Cumulative Nine-Month Performance Exceeds $221 Billion

With September's strong gains, Indonesia's cumulative export receipts for the first nine months of 2026 reached $221.23 billion, advancing 5.58% compared to the corresponding period in 2025.

The year-to-date trajectory reflected diverging domestic sectors. Cumulative non-oil and gas shipments maintained a steady positive momentum, rising 6.30% to $212.27 billion across the January–September stretch. Conversely, total oil and gas shipments contracted 9.11% year-on-year to $8.96 billion, highlighting persistent domestic energy demand absorbing local hydrocarbon production.