Indonesia's Essential Oil Exports Reach Rp 4.2 trillion, Industry Encourages Ongoing Collaboration

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia has great potential to become a major player in the global essential oil industry. Indonesia's essential oil exports in 2024 were recorded at 259.54 million US dollars, or around IDR 4.2 trillion, placing Indonesia as the eighth largest global essential oil exporter.

The 2024 Patchouli Outlook data from the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) also shows that national patchouli oil production reached 2,220 tons, an increase of 4.81 percent compared to the previous year. This achievement reflects a significant opportunity for the essential oil industry to continue growing, especially if accompanied by strengthened cross-sector collaboration.

This potential was highlighted at the 13th National Essential Oil Conference (KNMA) held in Manado, North Sulawesi, from October 26 to 28, 2025.

This event brought together farmers, distillers, researchers, academics, and industry players from various regions. One active participant was PT Natura Perisa Aroma (NPA) through its Nekaroma brand, which is committed to strengthening the competitiveness of the national essential oils industry through research, innovation, and partnerships. “KNMA is an important space for all stakeholders to build sustainable synergy.

We believe that the strength of the essential oils industry lies in collaboration from upstream to downstream, from farmers to business players,” said Billy Laurence, Managing Director of PT Natura Perisa Aroma, in a written statement on Monday (11/10/2025). The event featured various speakers from the government, industry, and academia. Over three days, participants engaged in a series of activities ranging from conferences and business matching to field visits to farms and patchouli distillation in North Minahasa.

For Nekaroma, participating in KNMA XIII is not just about showcasing products, but also emphasizing the philosophy of "fragrancing the world with the wisdom of Indonesian nature." Through natural raw materials from various regions of the archipelago and sustainable production processes, the company aims to show that global quality can grow from local potential.

"We want to continue to play an active role in strengthening Indonesia's essential oil ecosystem, not only in terms of products but also by creating added value that is felt by farmers and local communities," added Billy. Nekaroma produces a variety of essential oils and chemical aromas such as clove oil, patchouli, nutmeg, lemongrass, vetiver, fresh ginger, and black pepper. These products are widely used in the food and beverage, perfume, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries.

With various international certifications such as Halal, Kosher, ISO 9001:2015, FSSC 22000, FDA Registered Facility, and REACH Compliance, Nekaroma strives to maintain the quality and sustainability of its production. Nekaroma hopes to strengthen Indonesia's position as a global center for essential oil production while also opening new economic opportunities for farmers and distillers in the regions.

For your information, Indonesia's essential oil industry shows significant potential as one of the leading natural resource-based commodities. Based on 2024 data, the value of essential oil exports reached 259.54 million US dollars, or around Rp 4.2 trillion. This places Indonesia as the eighth-largest exporter of essential oils in the world.

This condition is supported by a large diversity of essential oil flora. Indonesia has around 97 types of essential oil plants in the world, and at least 40 of them grow well in the country.

Meanwhile, patchouli oil contributes about 54 percent of Indonesia's essential oil exports, valued at 141.32 million US dollars, or approximately IDR 2.32 trillion. The continuously growing exports show that although the export of raw essential oil materials is already strong, there is still significant room for downstream development, product diversification, and utilization of domestic added value so that the national essential oil industry can become more competitive and sustainable.

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