Indonesia’s 5 most valuable imported products are refined petroleum oils, crude oil, telephone devices including smartphones, petroleum gas and wheat. Those top 5 imports represent 17.9% of the overall value of Indonesian imports during 2021.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2021, the Indonesian rupiah depreciated by -6.9% against the US dollar since 2017 but appreciated by 1.9% from 2020 to 2021. Indonesia’s stronger local currency compared to 2020 makes Indonesia’s imports paid for in the comparatively weaker US dollars less expensive when converted starting from the Indonesian rupiah.
Major Suppliers for Indonesia’s Imported Products
The latest available country-specific data shows that 79.1% of products imported by Indonesia were furnished by exporters in: mainland China (28.7% of the global total), Singapore (7.9%), Japan (7.3%), United States of America (5.8%), Malaysia (4.83%), South Korea (4.82%), Australia (4.81%), Thailand (4.7%), India (3.9%), Taiwan (2.22%), Vietnam (2.15%) and Saudi Arabia (2%).
Applying a continental lens, 73.7% of Indonesia’s total imports by value were purchased from fellow Asian countries. European nations supplied 8% of import purchases by Indonesia while 7% worth of goods originated from North America.
Smaller percentages of overall Indonesian imports came from Australia and other Oceanian geographies (5.4%), Africa (3.2%), then Latin America (2.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
Given Indonesia ‘s population of 272.2 million people, its total $195.7 billion in 2021 imports translates to roughly $720 in yearly product demand from every person in the Asian country. That dollar metric exceeds the average $520 per capita in 2020.
Indonesia’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Indonesia’s import purchases during 2021. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Indonesia.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$28.8 billion (14.7% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $25.8 billion (13.2%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $22.3 billion (11.4%)
- Iron, steel: $12 billion (6.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $10.2 billion (5.2%)
- Organic chemicals: $7.3 billion (3.7%)
- Vehicles: $6.7 billion (3.4%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $4.4 billion (2.2%)
- Cereals: $4.1 billion (2.1%)
- Food industry waste, animal fodder: $4 billion (2%)
Indonesia’s top 10 imports accounted for 64.1% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
The leading gainers from 2020 to 2021 among Indonesia’s top 10 import categories were pharmaceuticals (up 276.2%), mineral fuels including oil (up 82.8%), iron and steel as materials (up 74.4%), then vehicles (up 51%).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the adjacent virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Indonesia’s Top Mineral Fuels Imports and Related Products
In 2021, Indonesian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$14 billion (up 75.3% from 2020)
- Crude oil: $7 billion (up 107.8%)
- Petroleum gases: $4.1 billion (up 58.5%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $2.3 billion (up 152.2%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $570.7 million (up 92.2%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $387.2 million (up 32.6%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $368.1 million (up 96.5%)
- Electrical energy: $77.6 million (down -35.3%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $29.6 million (up 34.2%)
- Tar pitch, coke: $16.1 million (up 25.1%)
Among these import subcategories, Indonesia’s purchases of coal, solid fuels made from coal (up 152.2%), crude oil (up 107.8%) then coke or semi-coke (up 96.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported fuel among Indonesian businesses and consumers.
Indonesia’s Top Machinery Imports
In 2021, Indonesian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.
- Computers, optical readers: US$3.1 billion (up 51.1% from 2020)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.7 billion (up 223.4%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $1.4 billion (up 33.2%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $1.07 billion (up 17.7%)
- Temperature-change machines: $1.06 billion (up 20.2%)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1 billion (up 20.7%)
- Machinery parts: $1 billion (up 17%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $922.6 million (up 8.5%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $823.1 million (up 3.8%)
- Printing machinery: $781.1 million (up 9.9%)
Among these import subcategories, Indonesia’s purchases of heavy machinery including bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 223.4%), computers including optical readers (up 51.1%) then miscellaneous machinery (up 33.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Indonesian businesses and consumers.
Indonesia’s Top Electrical Product Imports
In 2021, Indonesian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic products including consumer electronics.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$6.3 billion (up 5.3% from 2020)
- Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $2.9 billion (up 60.4%)
- TV/radio/radar device parts: $1.4 billion (up 27%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1.2 billion (up 33.8%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $1.1 billion (up 27.2%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $796.8 million (up 6%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $559.7 million (up 3%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $512.9 million (down -23.2%)
- Electric storage batteries: $511.9 million (up 10.7%)
- Electric motors, generators: $495.8 million (up 23.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Indonesia’s purchases of integrated circuits and microassemblies (up 60.4%), lower-voltage switches or fuses (up 33.8%) then insulated wire or cable (up 27.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Indonesian businesses and consumers.
Indonesia’s Top Iron and Steel Imports
In 2021, Indonesian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of iron and steel as materials.
- Iron ferroalloys: US$2.6 billion (up 187.5% from 2020)
- Iron or non-alloy steel products (semi-finished): $2.2 billion (up 38.8%)
- Flat-rolled other alloy steel products: $1.4 billion (up 144.1%)
- Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $1.1 billion (up 47.3%)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $996.9 million (up 45.3%)
- Iron or steel scrap: $721.2 million (up 60.4%)
- Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $682.4 million (up 77.2%)
- Alloy steel bars, rods: $395.4 million (up 81.4%)
- Flat-rolled stainless steel items: $360.3 million (up 39.5%)
- Coiled other alloy steel bars, rods: $251.8 million (up 34.2%)
Among these import subcategories, Indonesia’s purchases of iron ferroalloys (up 187.5%), flat-rolled other alloy steel products (up 144.1%) then alloy steel bars and rods (up 81.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2020 to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported steel and iron among Indonesian businesses and consumers.
See also Indonesia’s Top Trading Partners, Indonesia’s Top 10 Exports, 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 May 30, 2022
International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on May 30, 2022
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 30, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 30, 2022
