Indonesia's coal exports hit 2026 high in May as production policy shifts

Indonesia's exports of all types of coal reached 40.49 million tonnes in May, down 3.4% from a year earlier but up 8.5% from April, according to data released by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Although exports remained below year-earlier levels for the ninth consecutive month, May shipments were the highest so far this year, suggesting Indonesia has started to ease its earlier production-control policy.

At the beginning of 2026, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) planned to limit nationwide coal production approvals to around 600 million tonnes this year, well below the nearly 790 million tonnes produced in 2025, in an effort to tighten supply and support prices. The policy deterred