InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Indonesia has raised its crude palm oil (CPO) reference price for October 2026 to US$1,042.15 per metric tonne, an increase that brings the export duty to US$178 per tonne and the export levy to US$130.269 per tonne.
According to InfoSAWIT, citing an official statement from the Ministry of Trade received on Saturday, October 3, 2026, the reference price for October 1–31 increased by US$34.64, or 3.44%, from September’s level of US$1,007.51 per tonne.
Tommy Andana, Director General of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Trade, said the adjustment would affect the export charges applied to CPO shipments during October.
Under the applicable regulations, the government has set the CPO export duty at US$178 per tonne. The export levy is set at 12.5% of the reference price, equivalent to US$130.269 per tonne.
Indonesia Sets CPO Reference Price Using Three Markets
The October reference price was calculated using average CPO prices recorded between August 20 and September 19, 2026, across three market sources: the Indonesian CPO Exchange, the Malaysian CPO Exchange and the Rotterdam market.
During the assessment period, the average price on the Indonesian exchange stood at US$938.89 per tonne, while the Malaysian exchange recorded US$1,145.42 per tonne. The CPO price in Rotterdam reached US$1,526.56 per tonne.
As the difference among the three market averages exceeded US$40 per tonne, the calculation followed the applicable methodology, which uses the two prices closest to the median. The Indonesian and Malaysian exchange prices were therefore used to determine the October reference price of US$1,042.15 per tonne.
The reference price serves as a basis for determining the export charges applicable to Indonesian CPO, making monthly adjustments an important consideration for exporters when calculating shipment costs.
Export Duty Set for Packaged Palm Olein
In addition to CPO, the government has established an export duty of US$48 per tonne for branded refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm olein packed in containers with a net weight of no more than 25 kilograms.
The measure forms part of the government's broader export pricing framework for agricultural and forestry products subject to export duties and other applicable charges.
Cocoa Reference Price Rises Amid El Niño Concerns
The Ministry of Trade also announced changes to reference and export benchmark prices for several other commodities in October.
The reference price for cocoa beans increased by 7.49% to US$6,057.87 per tonne. The export benchmark price (HPE) for cocoa beans rose 7.88% to US$5,686 per tonne.
According to the ministry, the increases were partly driven by concerns that El Niño could reduce cocoa production volumes and quality in major producing regions, particularly West Africa.
In contrast, the export benchmark price for pine resin fell by 3.04% to US$1,020 per tonne. Several wood products also recorded adjustments, while the benchmark prices for leather products and certain other wood categories remained unchanged from the previous period.
The latest determinations are stipulated in Trade Ministerial Decree No. 1921 of 2026 concerning export benchmark prices and reference prices for agricultural and forestry products subject to export duties and public service agency tariffs. (T2)
