Indonesia's Palm Oil Exports Fall 3.4% in March

28-Apr-2025 03:34 PM

Jakarta, April 28, 2025 – Indonesia's palm oil exports recorded a decline of 3.4% in March 2025 compared to the previous month, according to a report by Intertek Testing Services (ITS), a leading private cargo surveyor. The report states that Indonesia exported 20.47 lakh tonnes of palm oil products in March, down from 21.19 lakh tonnes in February.

Exports of crude palm oil (CPO) fell sharply from 2,14,450 tonnes in February to 1,016,600 tonnes in March. Similarly, RBD palmolein shipments dropped from 9,37,713 tonnes to 8,10,978 tonnes. However, RBD palm stearin exports rose from 4,04,483 tonnes to 4,53,696 tonnes during the same period.

Indonesia, the world's largest producer and exporter of palm oil, strongly supports the export of refined palm oil products while discouraging the export of crude palm oil through higher export duties and levies.

In terms of key markets:

• Exports to the European Union increased from 2,94,584 tonnes to 3,24,421 tonnes.

• Exports to India fell significantly from 7,77,465 tonnes to 4,97,685 tonnes.

• Exports to China dropped from 2,84,550 tonnes to 2,30,635 tonnes.

Besides Indonesia, Malaysia is another major exporter of palm oil, with India being a major destination for palm oil shipments from both countries.

A substantial portion of Indonesia's palm oil production is used domestically for biodiesel production and as edible oil. The government's export policy continues to favor the export of refined products over crude forms.