That dollar amount results from a 62.1% advance since five years earlier in 2020 when Indonesian exports totaled $163.3 billion.
Year over year, the overall value of Indonesian exports rose 2.3% compared to $258.8 billion in 2023.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Indonesian rupiah depreciated by -4.1% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. Indonesia’s weaker local currency made its exports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive for international buyers in 2024.
Major Customers for Indonesian Exported Products
The latest available country-specific data shows that 77.2% of products exported from Indonesia was bought by importers in: mainland China (23.6% of the Indonesian total), United States of America (10%), Japan (7.8%), India (7.7%), Singapore (4.6%), Malaysia (4.5%), South Korea (4.1%), Philippines (also 4.1%), Vietnam (3.6%), Thailand (2.9%), Taiwan (2.5%) and Australia (1.9%).
From a continental perspective, 73.9% of Indonesia’s exports by value was delivered to fellow Asian countries while 11.4% was sold to importers in North America. Indonesia shipped another 8.4% worth of goods to buyers in Europe.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Africa (2.4%), Oceania (2.3%) led by Australia, and Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Given Indonesia’s population of 281.6 million people, its total $264.7 billion in 2024 exports translates to roughly $940 for every resident in the Asian nation. That dollar metric outpaces the average $930 per capita one year earlier for 2023.
Indonesia’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups represent the highest dollar value in Indonesian global shipments during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Indonesia.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$55.5 billion (21% of total exports)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $26.8 billion (10.1%)
- Iron, steel: $25.8 billion (9.7%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $15.1 billion (5.7%)
- Vehicles: $11 billion (4.2%)
- Gems, precious metals: $8.9 billion (3.4%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $8.2 billion (3.1%)
- Nickel: $8 billion (3%)
- Footwear: $7.1 billion (2.7%)
- Machinery including computers: $6.9 billion (2.6%)
By value, Indonesia’s top 10 export product categories totaled nearly two-thirds (65.5%) of Indonesia’s total exports.
Gems and precious metals was the fastest grower among the top 10 export categories, up by 18.3% from 2023 to 2024.
In second place for improving export sales was nickel via a 17.3% gain.
Indonesia’s shipments of footwear posted the third-fastest gain in value up by 10%.
The leading decliner among Indonesia’s top 10 export categories was mineral fuels including oil thanks to a -6.7% year-over-year drop.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section below.
Searchable List of Indonesia’s Most Valuable Export Products
The following searchable table displays 100 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Indonesia during 2024. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2023.
| Rank | Export Product | Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $30,489,507,000 | -11.9% |
| 2 | Palm oil | $20,012,617,000 | -11.8% |
| 3 | Iron ferroalloys | $14,073,010,000 | -8% |
| 4 | Petroleum gases | $8,907,938,000 | +1.5% |
| 5 | Copper ores, concentrates | $7,969,175,000 | -4.3% |
| 6 | Lignite | $7,341,103,000 | -11.1% |
| 7 | Nickel matte, oxide sinters | $7,123,803,000 | +5.3% |
| 8 | Cars | $6,000,453,000 | -1.1% |
| 9 | Flat-rolled stainless steel items | $5,789,407,000 | +4.5% |
| 10 | Jewelry | $5,294,240,000 | -4.2% |
| 11 | Industrial fatty acids and alcohols | $5,063,610,000 | +8.1% |
| 12 | Processed petroleum oils | $3,719,695,000 | -16.3% |
| 13 | Footwear (leather) | $3,191,354,000 | +7.2% |
| 14 | Natural rubber | $2,904,284,000 | +17.2% |
| 15 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $2,515,403,000 | -8.5% |
| 16 | Footwear (textile) | $2,500,507,000 | +4.1% |
| 17 | Coconut/palm/babassu oil | $2,472,664,000 | +19.7% |
| 18 | Stainless steel ingots | $2,369,747,000 | -16.8% |
| 19 | Crude oil | $2,228,458,000 | +27.3% |
| 20 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $2,224,275,000 | +91.1% |
| 21 | Automobile parts/accessories | $2,117,572,000 | +3.9% |
| 22 | Precious metal waste, scrap | $2,085,626,000 | +142.7% |
| 23 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $2,080,782,000 | -10.4% |
| 24 | Phone system devices | $1,981,860,000 | -22% |
| 25 | Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished) | $1,962,979,000 | +27.6% |
| 26 | Margarine | $1,948,591,000 | +9.9% |
| 27 | Miscellaneous oil cakes | $1,774,203,000 | -21.5% |
| 28 | Laminated wood (including plywood, veneer panels) | $1,766,576,000 | +2.1% |
| 29 | Insulated wire/cable | $1,766,001,000 | +3.5% |
| 30 | Cocoa butter, fat, oil | $1,682,397,000 | +168.1% |
| 31 | Coffee | $1,638,116,000 | +76.3% |
| 32 | Electrical machinery | $1,619,397,000 | -14.2% |
| 33 | Rubber tires (new) | $1,609,011,000 | -10.8% |
| 34 | Printing machinery | $1,528,551,000 | +12.9% |
| 35 | Coke, semi-coke | $1,520,217,000 | +200.4% |
| 36 | Animal/vegetable hydrogenated fats, oils | $1,519,426,000 | +20.6% |
| 37 | Unwrought tin | $1,416,593,000 | -20% |
| 38 | Cigars/cigarellos, cigarettes | $1,407,307,000 | +24.1% |
| 39 | Crustaceans (including lobsters) | $1,390,241,000 | +6.8% |
| 40 | TV receivers/monitors/projectors | $1,372,135,000 | +8.9% |
| 41 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $1,347,232,000 | +976.8% |
| 42 | Footwear (rubber or plastic) | $1,240,691,000 | +33.2% |
| 43 | Motorcycles | $1,196,186,000 | -2.4% |
| 44 | Cases, handbags, wallets | $1,186,746,000 | +14.4% |
| 45 | Miscellaneous furniture | $1,158,385,000 | -0.2% |
| 46 | Motorcycle parts/accessories | $1,103,045,000 | -0.3% |
| 47 | Aluminum oxide/hydroxide | $1,097,605,000 | +36.1% |
| 48 | Gold (unwrought) | $1,062,178,000 | +25.2% |
| 49 | Chemical woodpulp (dissolving) | $1,031,104,000 | +43.8% |
| 50 | Petroleum oil residues | $1,000,031,000 | +6.7% |
| 51 | Jerseys, pullovers (knit or crochet) | $984,641,000 | +0.5% |
| 52 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $975,102,000 | +135.4% |
| 53 | Women's clothing (not knit or crochet) | $970,193,000 | +0.8% |
| 54 | Crustaceans, molluscs (preserved/prepared) | $955,873,000 | -1% |
| 55 | Organic surface-active products, soap | $950,935,000 | +1.1% |
| 56 | Saturated acyclic mono acids | $950,855,000 | +56.4% |
| 57 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $911,782,000 | +2.2% |
| 58 | Acyclic alcohols | $906,638,000 | +5% |
| 59 | Moluscs | $880,278,000 | +15% |
| 60 | Nickel (unwrought) | $860,454,000 | +2178.9% |
| 61 | Artificial staple fibers | $817,089,000 | +29.5% |
| 62 | Women's clothing (knit or crochet) | $806,488,000 | -5.1% |
| 63 | Copper wire | $805,896,000 | +9.3% |
| 64 | Men's suits, trousers (not knit or crochet) | $799,611,000 | -1.6% |
| 65 | Fish fillets, pieces | $798,900,000 | +6.8% |
| 66 | Solar power diodes/semi-conductors | $790,723,000 | +97.3% |
| 67 | Electric storage batteries | $780,397,000 | +362.4% |
| 68 | Other food preparations | $749,929,000 | +15.6% |
| 69 | Household/sanitary rolls | $727,218,000 | -13.3% |
| 70 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $726,401,000 | +8.5% |
| 71 | Iron and steel tubes, pipes | $709,889,000 | +81.3% |
| 72 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $704,035,000 | -4.3% |
| 73 | Piston engines | $678,780,000 | +9.9% |
| 74 | Coffee/tea extracts, concentrates | $654,376,000 | +4.4% |
| 75 | Whole fish (frozen) | $650,882,000 | +26.4% |
| 76 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $641,622,000 | +11.5% |
| 77 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $633,293,000 | +6.1% |
| 78 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $609,074,000 | -9% |
| 79 | Ammonia | $606,502,000 | -22.2% |
| 80 | Electrical converters/power units | $600,029,000 | +7.5% |
| 81 | Coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews | $598,208,000 | +80% |
| 82 | Models, puzzles, miscellaneous toys | $597,602,000 | +17.5% |
| 83 | Electrical capacitators | $561,007,000 | +1.8% |
| 84 | Sulphates | $557,425,000 | +109% |
| 85 | Miscellaneous vegetable products | $552,745,000 | -11.8% |
| 86 | Edible insects, turtle eggs, birds' nests | $551,591,000 | -12.9% |
| 87 | Primary batteries/cells | $545,390,000 | +14.9% |
| 88 | Wood carpentry, builders' joinery | $510,081,000 | +8.3% |
| 89 | Nitrogenous fertilizers | $501,714,000 | -4.5% |
| 90 | Medication mixes in dosage | $500,890,000 | +2.3% |
| 91 | Synthetic staple fibre yarn | $495,888,000 | +0.5% |
| 92 | Shaped wood | $494,604,000 | -6.8% |
| 93 | Pasta, couscous | $475,135,000 | +16.2% |
| 94 | Women's shirts (not knit or crochet) | $469,864,000 | +6.5% |
| 95 | T-shirts, vests (knit or crochet) | $466,929,000 | +8.5% |
| 96 | Packaged insecticides/fungicides/herbicides | $466,772,000 | +20.4% |
| 97 | Cocoa powder (no added sugar) | $454,816,000 | +60.5% |
| 98 | Refrigerators, freezers | $451,187,000 | +13% |
| 99 | Piston engine parts | $448,464,000 | -4.4% |
| 100 | Iron or steel tubes, pipes | $448,267,000 | +44.2% |
These 100 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$218.9 billion or over four-fifths (82.7%) by value for all products exported from Indonesia during 2024.
Products Generating Highest Trade Surpluses for Indonesia
Overall, Indonesia generated a US$31 billion trade surplus for 2024, declining by -16.2% from $37.1 billion in black ink one year earlier in 2023.
The following types of Indonesian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: US$26.4 billion (Down by -6.1% since 2023)
- Iron, steel: $15.1 billion (Down by -1.2%)
- Mineral fuels including oil: $14.9 billion (Down by -23.3%)
- Nickel: $7.9 billion (Up by 17.3%)
- Footwear: $6 billion (Up by 9.6%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $5.4 billion (Down by -22.3%)
- Gems, precious metals: $4.1 billion (Down by -13%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): $4 billion (Up by 1.3%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $3.8 billion (Up by 7.4%)
- Fish: $3.7 billion (Up by 17.3%)
Indonesia has highly positive net exports in the international trade of animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes In turn, these cashflows indicate Indonesia’s strong competitive advantages under that product category.
Products Causing Worst Trade Deficits for Indonesia
Below are exports from Indonesia that result in negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Indonesia’s goods trail Indonesian importer spending on foreign products.
- Machinery including computers: -US$26.6 billion (Up by 3.4% since 2023)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$12 billion (Up by 4.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: -$7.8 billion (Up by 18%)
- Cereals: -$6.8 billion (Up by 14.8%)
- Organic chemicals: -$3.6 billion (Up by 5.1%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$3.5 billion (Up by 20.6%)
- Sugar, sugar confectionery: -$3 billion (Up by 6.2%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: -$1.8 billion (Up by 5.2%)
- Knit or crochet fabric: -$1.6 billion (Up by 18%)
- Oil seeds: -$1.5 billion (Up by 1.1%)
Indonesia has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for machinery, particularly those related to computers.
Major Indonesian Export Companies
Nine Indonesian corporations rank among Forbes Global 2000. Below is a sample of the major Indonesian conglomerates that Forbes included.
- Gudang Garam (Tobacco)
- Telekom Indonesia (Telecommunications services)
Wikipedia also lists exporters from Indonesia. Selected examples are shown below.
- Astra International (financial/industrial conglomerate)
- Bumi Resources (coal)
- Djarum (tobacco cigarettes)
- Dragon Computer & Communication (computer hardware)
- Krakatau Steel (steel products)
- MedcoEnergi (oil, gas)
- Pertamina (oil, natural gas)
- United Tractors (heavy equipment)
In macroeconomic terms, Indonesia’s total exported goods represent 5.7% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2024 ($4.658 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 5.7% for exports to overall GDP in PPP for 2024 compares to 5.9% for 2023. Those percentages suggest a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Indonesia’s total economic performance, albeit based on a short timeframe.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Indonesia’s unemployment rate averaged 5.2% in 2024, down from an average 5.32% jobless rate for 2023 according to International Monetary Fund statistics.
Indonesia’s capital city is Jakarta.
See also Indonesia’s Top Trading Partners, Indonesia’s Top 10 Imports, Top Asian Export Countries, Palm Oil Exports by Country and Coal Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook report on East Asia/Southeast Asia: Indonesia. Accessed on March 6, 2025
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on March 6, 2025
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on March 6, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on March 6, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on March 6, 2025
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on March 6, 2025
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Indonesia. Accessed on March 6, 2025
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on March 6, 2025
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Euro to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on March 6, 2025