PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA — Indonesia’s palm oil industry faced a major export setback in April 2025. According to the latest data released by the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), both the volume and value of palm oil product exports dropped significantly compared to the previous month.
GAPKI Executive Director Mukti Sardjono reported that total palm oil exports in April reached only 1.779 million tons, a steep 39.2% decline from 2.876 million tons in March.
“The sharpest drop was seen in refined palm oil exports, which fell to 1.241 million tons, down 41.7% from 2.128 million tons in March,” said Mukti in a statement quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com on Thursday (June 26, 2025).
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Oleochemical exports also dipped to 368 thousand tons, a 9.6% decrease from the 407 thousand tons exported in March.
From a destination market perspective, the most notable declines in April (compared to March) came from:
- European Union: down 156,000 tons
- India: down 155,000 tons
- United States: down 113,000 tons
- Pakistan: down 109,000 tons
- Bangladesh: down 86,000 tons
Year-to-Date Performance
Cumulatively, January–April 2025 saw total palm oil exports of 9.416 million tons, a 3.08% decrease from the same period in 2024 (9.715 million tons). The largest year-on-year declines were:
- India: down by 1.055 million tons (-68%)
- European Union: down 818 thousand tons (-62%)
- China: down 746 thousand tons (-62%)
- Pakistan: down 385 thousand tons (-42%)
In terms of export value, April 2025 generated US$ 2.069 billion, sharply down by 37% from US$ 3.283 billion in March. However, cumulative export value for the first four months of 2025 showed a positive trend.
“Export value from January to April rose from US$ 8.307 billion in 2024 to US$ 10.818 billion in 2025, a growth of approximately 30.2%, driven by higher average CPO prices,” Mukti explained.
The average international price of CPO (CIF Rotterdam) during this period was US$ 1,183 per ton, significantly higher than US$ 1,001 per ton in the same period of 2024.
Outlook and Strategic Consideration
Despite the strong export value, the sharp decline in export volume in April is raising concerns. The weakening demand from major markets like India, the EU, and China signals the need for new market strategies and stronger trade diplomacy to maintain the competitiveness of Indonesian palm oil in global markets. (P2)
