Indonesia's trade deficit reached US$2.83 billion from January to May 2018.

Indonesia's trade balance in May 2018 returned to a deficit after import values exceeded export values. High consumer demand in anticipation of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr fueled the trade deficit. The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) recorded import values of US$16.12 billion last month, while exports reached US$14.64 billion. As a result, the trade balance again showed a deficit of US$1.52 billion. This is the second deficit in the last two months and the fourth this year.

Oil and gas imports in May 2018 increased by 20.95% to US$2.82 billion from the previous month, while oil and gas exports grew by 28.8% to US$1.57 billion, resulting in a deficit of US$1.24 billion. Non-oil and gas exports rose by 9.25% to US$14.55 billion, while non-oil and gas imports increased by 7.19% to US$14.83 billion, resulting in a deficit of US$280 million.

The oil and gas trade balance deficit for the January-May 2018 period reached US$5.03 billion, while non-oil and gas trade recorded a surplus of US$2.2 billion. Therefore, the total trade deficit in the first five months of this year reached US$2.83 billion.