Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo has revealed that the Southeast Asian country’s delegation is proposing palm oil exports as part of efforts to further reduce the US's current 19% reciprocal tariffs.
As reported by the Indonesian national news agency Antara, Soesilo on September 11 explained that in the second week of this month, the delegation will propose a tariff reduction by offering several key commodities not produced in the US, with palm oil among the top items.
“For the moment, Indonesia will propose reduced tariffs for commodities that are not produced in the US. For example, the US needs a lot of palm oil. So, if we export palm oil, hopefully the tariff will not remain at 19% but will be reduced further,” he stated as quoted by Antara.
Other commodities Indonesia intends to propose include shrimp, which already accounts for nearly 2 billion USD in exports, as well as timber, furniture, copper, and nickel. The ambassador also highlighted opportunities to boost exports in the garment and apparel sectors, noting that the US holds a large market for these products.
Soesilo also shared that Indonesia’s exports to the US reached 26 billion USD in 2024, compared to 10 billion USD in US exports to Indonesia, resulting in a significant 16 billion USD surplus for Indonesia.
“The US would like to see more balance, but Indonesia also wants growth. Both sides should find ways to achieve this together,” he said.
The current 19% reciprocal tariff is already a reduction from the original 32%, a result of direct communication between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and US President Donald Trump. Indonesia continues negotiations, aiming for a zero-tariff arrangement for certain products, as the US remains open to dialogue./.
Indonesia pushes ahead with trade negotiations with US
In a letter dated July 7 and addressed to President Prabowo Subianto, US President Donald Trump confirmed the decision to keep the 32% tariff in place, despite ongoing talks.
