The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded that Indonesia’s imports during 2023 experienced a decline of 6.55%, amounting to US$221.89 billion. In 2022, Indonesia’s imports reached US$237.45 billion. Of this total, BPS noted that the highest imports in 2023 were in auxiliary raw materials.
Deputy for Distribution and Services Statistics at BPS, Pudji Ismartini, highlighted this development in a press conference on Monday (15/1/2024). She stated, “Throughout 2023, total imports were US$221.89 billion or a decline of 6.55% compared to 2022.”
Delving deeper into the import landscape, BPS identified that the highest import category in 2023 pertained to auxiliary raw materials. Among these, machinery or mechanical equipment and parts led the pack, amounting to US$32.16 billion, registering a modest growth of 1.85% throughout the year, constituting 14.49% of the total imports.
Following closely, imports of machinery or electrical equipment and parts reached US$25.78 billion, though with a slight dip of 2.33%. The subsequent categories included iron and steel at US$11.38 billion and vehicles and their components at US$10.20 billion. Plastic and plastic goods imports also featured prominently at US$9.40 billion.
Shifting the lens to value-driven imports, cereals emerged as a focal point, experiencing a significant surge. Cereal imports skyrocketed by 33.61% to US$5.95 billion in 2023, reflecting the changing dynamics of Indonesia’s trade landscape.
Beyond tangible goods, the intangible realm also played a role. Imports of software, digital goods, and postal items amounted to US$550 million, marking a staggering growth of 374.92%. Other sectors witnessing notable import increases included ships, boats, and floating structures at US$1.19 billion (up by 50.27%), and metal ores, slag, and ash at US$1.73 billion (a 20.71% increase).
On the food front, BPS shared insights into rice imports, revealing a substantial surge to 3.06 million tons in 2023. This figure marked the highest in the past five years, exhibiting a remarkable surge of 613.61% compared to 2022.
“Over the past 5 years, rice imports in 2023 are the largest, totaling 3.06 million tons or an increase of 613.61% compared to 2022,” emphasized Pudji Ismartini in the press conference.
Diving into the specifics, Pudji highlighted that semi-milled or wholly milled rice dominated the import category with a staggering 88.18% share. This was classified under HS code 10063099, reflecting the changing preferences and demands in the rice market.
Examining the geographical dimension of them, Thailand emerged as the primary contributor, supplying 1.38 million tons, constituting 45.12% of Indonesia’s rice imports in 2023. Vietnam followed closely with 1.14 million tons (37.47%), Pakistan with 309 thousand tons (10.10%), and Myanmar with 141 thousand tons (4.61%). Additionally, other sources contributed 83 thousand tons, making up 2.70% of the total imported rice.
The intricate details of Indonesia’s import dynamics in 2023 showcase the evolving landscape of international trade, influenced by economic shifts, consumer preferences, and global market dynamics.
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