Starting January 1, Indonesia’s palm oil exports will be handled through a single operator

Indonesia has begun the phased implementation of a new centralized export system for strategic commodities, including palm oil products. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the policy is expected to have the greatest impact on US buyers of Indonesian palm oil.

The new “single-gate” export system was announced by President Prabowo Subianto in May. In June, the Ministry of Trade adopted Regulation No. 16/2026 to improve trade transparency and prevent revenue losses. The system is scheduled to become fully operational on January 1, 2027.

The new rules cover crude palm oil (CPO), refined palm oil, refined palm olein, used cooking oil (UCO), and other palm-derived products. During the transition period, exporters will continue to negotiate sales independently but will be required to report all export activities to the state-owned company Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI).

According to the USDA, the United States was Indonesia’s fifth-largest palm oil importer in 2025, purchasing 1.3 million tons. However, this was the lowest import volume since 2021. Indonesia also recorded no exports of used cooking oil to the US in 2026.

The USDA will continue monitoring the impact of the new export policy. As the world’s largest producer of palm oil, Indonesia accounts for more than half of global palm oil exports, meaning any changes to its export system could influence the global vegetable oils market.

Tags: export, Indonesia, palm oil