Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The Indonesian government recorded a drop in coal exports during the first quarter of 2025, as confirmed by the Director of Coal Business Development at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Surya Harjuna. According to him, the export volume shrank 11 million tons compared to the same period last year.

In the first quarter of 2024, coal exports amounted to 171 million tons, while this year's exports reached 160 million tons.

Surya attributed the slowing demand from Indonesia's major partner countries like China and India as a contributing factor, aside from price-related reasons.

"Chinese and Indian manufacturing machinery are slowing down, so there's indeed a decrease," said Surya in an exclusive discussion hosted by Investortrust, quoted from a live broadcast on Friday, May 30, 2025.

The sluggish exports, Surya said, must not only factor in the government-initiated coal reference price (HBA), but the weakening global consumption triggered by trade wars and economic transitions in the export destination countries.

Apart from exports, Indonesia also faced a lagging domestic consumption. Throughout the first months of 2025, domestic consumption was recorded at 12 million tons, as compared to last year's 16 million tons.

He explained that this situation was exacerbated by the tug-of-war between the United States and China. "The government had hoped for a more stable condition, but after Trump's victory, the global situation shifted. The coal market also began to deviate from the initial predictions," he said.

Despite the downward trends in exports and domestic consumption, Surya believed coal remains a vital energy source for Indonesia, especially to support households, health, and basic industry needs.

"The coal demand is still visible here, especially for the middle- and upper-class society who requires affordable energy," he said.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2012526/indonesian-coal-exports-drop-11-million-tons-in-q1-of-202