Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has reported a significant contraction in the nation’s trade balance surplus for April 2026. The surplus stood at US$89.1 million, a sharp decrease from the US$3.32 billion recorded in the previous month. This figure marks the lowest surplus achieved during the country’s impressive 72-month streak of consecutive trade surpluses.
The modest surplus was primarily underpinned by robust trade transactions in the non-oil and gas sector, which posted a surplus of US$3.53 billion. In stark contrast, the oil and gas sector experienced a substantial deficit of US$3.44 billion, significantly narrowing the overall trade balance.
“The April 2026 surplus is, therefore, the smallest recorded since May 2020, effectively marking the lowest point within this 72-month continuous surplus period,” stated Pudji Ismartini, Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics at BPS, during a press conference held in Jakarta on Thursday, June 2, 2026.
Pudji elaborated on the key commodities driving the positive performance of the non-oil and gas sector. Primary contributors to this surplus included animal or vegetable fats and oils (commodity code HS15), mineral fuels (HS27), and iron and steel (HS72). Conversely, the significant deficit within the oil and gas trade balance was largely attributable to crude oil, refined petroleum products, and natural gas.
According to BPS data, Indonesia’s export value in April 2026 reached US$25.30 billion, marking a substantial increase of 21.98 percent compared to April 2025 exports. Similarly, the nation’s import value for April 2026 also saw a significant rise, climbing by 22.49 percent year-on-year to US$25.21 billion.
On a cumulative basis, from January to April 2026, Indonesia’s trade balance maintained a surplus of US$5.64 billion. This year-to-date performance was propelled by a US$14.16 billion surplus in the non-oil and gas sector, even as the oil and gas sector continued to register a deficit of US$8.52 billion over the same period. Furthermore, Indonesia’s total export value for January-April 2026 grew by 5.48 percent, reaching US$92,152.0 million, up from US$87,363.6 million recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
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Summary
Indonesia’s trade surplus for April 2026 significantly contracted to US$89.1 million, marking its lowest point in 72 consecutive months of surplus. This figure represents a sharp decrease from the US$3.32 billion recorded in the previous month and is the smallest since May 2020. The modest overall surplus was largely due to a substantial US$3.44 billion deficit in the oil and gas sector, which offset a US$3.53 billion surplus from non-oil and gas trade.
In April 2026, exports reached US$25.30 billion, increasing by 21.98% year-on-year, while imports also rose by 22.49% to US$25.21 billion. Cumulatively, from January to April 2026, Indonesia maintained a trade surplus of US$5.64 billion. This year-to-date performance was driven by a US$14.16 billion surplus in non-oil and gas, despite an US$8.52 billion deficit in oil and gas over the same period.