Indonesia to bypass ‘neighbour’ middlemen in natural resource exports

The Straits Times · The Straits Times · 2026-11-05 10:40 UTC

It says routing shipments through third countries costs it billions of rupiah in potential revenue. Read more at straitstimes.com.

- Indonesia wants direct exports of palm oil and other resources, not shipments through neighbouring countries. Officials say middlemen cut prices and cost billions in lost revenue.

- Minister Zulkifli Hasan said Indonesia, a top producer of CPO, nickel and tin, loses control when goods are re-exported by others. He called for “direct exports” to final buyers.

- The National Energy Council backed the plan, saying it could improve transparency and bargaining power. It has not yet measured the extra state revenue the policy may bring.

Read the full story at The Straits Times · All coverage of this story