Enviro News Asia, Jakarta – Indonesia’s forestry product exports, particularly wood products, have been on an upward trend during the first quarter of 2025. This growth provides a strong foundation in facing the ongoing global trade war, which has been triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to raise import tariffs.
According to data from the Ministry of Forestry processed by the Indonesian Forest Entrepreneurs Association (APHI), the export value of wood products as of March 2025 grew by 8% compared to the same period the previous year (YoY). In terms of volume, growth reached 6%.
As of March 2025, the export value of wood products reached USD 3.23 billion with a total volume of 4.32 million tons. For the same period in 2024, the exports were recorded at USD 2.98 billion with a volume of 4.07 million tons.
The wood products contributing most to export achievements in 2025 were, in order: paper (USD 1.05 billion), followed by pulp (USD 890.9 million), wood panels (USD 567.06 million), and furniture (USD 423.5 million).
The performance of wood product exports has been supported by growing demand from several key export destinations. In China, for example, Indonesian wood product exports reached USD 830.4 million, an increase of 9.3% compared to last year.
Meanwhile, exports to the U.S. rose by 20% to USD 540.3 million. Exports to the European Union and the UK were recorded at USD 336.12 million, marking a growth of 17.77%. However, in some countries, exports actually declined. In Japan, for instance, exports stood at USD 299.9 million, a decrease of 0.5%. Exports to the Republic of Korea dropped significantly to USD 132.3 million, down by 23.7%. The decline in exports to Korea was largely due to a fall in demand for wood chips, which are used as raw materials for wood pellets.
Despite the current upward trend, efforts are still needed to maintain export performance. Especially considering that growth in 2025 has shown signs of slowing down, after strong YoY growth in January and February of 14.2% and 14.4% respectively.
