Browse Data and Analysis

Following a lengthy period with a trade surplus, the U.S. trade balance with Indonesia in agricultural products began to reverse in 2021.

Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy with a population of 282 million, presents significant opportunities for U.S. exporters despite regulatory challenges, declining middle-class purchasing power, and tariff preferences granted to our major competitors.

In a budget bill passed on June 13, 2025, the semi-autonomous Zanzibar government raised the excise duty on imported frozen chicken from approximately USD $0.12 per kilogram to approximately USD $0.39 per kilogram, with a double aim to protect the domestic poultry industry and generate USD $2.75 million in revenue.

Zanzibar presents strong potential for U.S. food and beverage exports, driven by tourism, urbanization, and demand for quality products. With over 80 percent of food imported, key opportunities include beverages, wheat, poultry, oil, confectioneries, and rice.

On May 8-9, 2025, FAS Jakarta and U.S. Embassy Dili led the first agricultural trade delegation of U.S. industry groups in Timor-Leste. The delegation met with senior government officials, importers, and private industry to explore opportunities for U.S. commodities.

Tanzania retail food industry is experiencing robust growth, driven by rapid urbanization, an expanding middle class (22 percent of households), rising disposable incomes, and a thriving tourism sector that welcomed 5 million visitors in 2024.

The 2024 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world during the 2024 calendar year.

Upon request from Post, the Indonesian Quarantine Agency clarified in writing that the export timing and Prior Notice requirements take effect on June 4, 2025, via regulation 14/2024 and provided additional clarifications on the regulation.

In Indonesia, the pet food market (especially for cats) has seen remarkable growth, increasing 24.5 percent to reach $237 million in 2023.

Zanzibar's HRI food service sector has grown significantly, with a 37 percent increase in hotel and lodging facilities in the past five years.

Multiple aspects of Indonesian Quarantine Authority (IQA) regulation number 14/2024 could impact U.S. agricultural exports to Indonesia.

In January 2025, the Government of Indonesia (GOI) enacted a new regulation to curb exports of palm waste products, citing that they have already exceeded the “reasonable capacity,” in the hopes of shoring up feed stock supplies for domestic cooking oil and biofuels production.