RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s manufacturing sector has once again demonstrated its strategic role as a key driver of the national economy, with performance continuing to strengthen throughout 2025. According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), manufacturing growth reached 5.30 percent in 2025, surpassing the national economic growth rate of 5.11 percent.

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita stated in Jakarta on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, that the positive performance was largely supported by the agroindustry sector, which has consistently served as the main pillar of non-oil and gas manufacturing.

“As of December 2025, the agroindustry contributed 52.09 percent to the GDP of non-oil and gas manufacturing. This achievement highlights the important role of the agroindustry sector in strengthening the national industrial structure,” Agus said in an official statement.

The Minister reaffirmed that the Ministry of Industry remains committed to enhancing the competitiveness of the agroindustry, including strengthening Indonesia’s cocoa processing industry. In collaboration with the Indonesian Cocoa Association (ASKINDO), the Ministry is reinforcing Indonesia’s position as one of the key cocoa grinding hubs in Asia and globally.

“Since 2025, the availability of domestic cocoa beans has shown an increasing trend, encouraging us to further expand national grinding capacity,” Agus said.

Meanwhile, Acting Director General of Agro Industry at the Ministry of Industry, Putu Juli Ardika, explained that in 2024 there was a global disruption in cocoa bean supply, particularly from West Africa. This significantly reduced grinding activities in several cocoa-processing countries.

Entering 2025, domestic cocoa bean supply began to improve, supporting national cocoa processing growth of 4.43 percent, with grinding volume reaching 422,176 tons. The industry also contributed USD 3.42 billion in foreign exchange earnings.

“This achievement places Indonesia as the fourth-largest processed cocoa producer in the world. Currently, Indonesia supplies 8.46 percent of global processed cocoa demand, including cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, cocoa cake, and cocoa powder,” Putu said.

According to him, this position further strengthens Indonesia’s strategic role in the global supply chain, enabling the country to seize opportunities when global demand rebounds in the coming period.

To address raw material constraints, the government has consistently implemented strategic measures to boost domestic cocoa bean production, including integrating cocoa commodities into the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP). The BPDP program will focus on strengthening human resource capacity across the cocoa value chain, revitalizing cocoa plantations, and enhancing research and innovation.

As part of its downstream industry commitment, the Ministry has also allocated machinery restructuring funds for cocoa and chocolate processing industries. On the global policy front, the postponement of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the zero-percent tariff granted by the United States for Indonesian cocoa and chocolate products are expected to provide broader expansion space and export opportunities for Indonesia’s processed cocoa products.