Indonesian Batik Export Reaches IDR 123.60 Billion, Hard Selling In South African-China Market

JAKARTA - Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita appreciated the soaring performance of national batik exports.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia's batik exports reached 7.63 million US dollars or around Rp. 123.60 billion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp. 16,277) to the first quarter of 2025.

Agus explained, this number increased by 76.2 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Then based on the Ministry of Industry's Center for Crafts and Batik (BBKB), the industry managed to absorb up to 200,000 workers.

Then, based on the 2020 BPS Center chain, there are around 5,946 batik industry players and 200 Small and Medium Industry (IKM) centers spread across 11 provinces.

"The export of batik products in the first 3 months of 2025 reached 7.63 million US dollars and the important thing is that exports have increased by 76.2 percent compared to the same period last year. So, there is an increase of 76 percent. We congratulate you," Agus said at the Kick Off GBN and HBN 2025 X Industrial Festival at the Ministry of Industry office, Jakarta, quoted Thursday, June 26.

According to Agus, this achievement was achieved when global economic conditions were declining and not doing well.

The global market is said to be sluggish with purchasing power and not fine.

"Global markets are certainly sluggish with various considerations and reasons, purchasing power from the global market is also not doing well. However, we can see that based on BPS data this is quite encouraging," he said.

Meanwhile, the Director General of Small, Medium and Multifarious Industries (IKMA) of the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) Reni Yanita said, Indonesian batik products managed to penetrate the South African market to the United States (US).

South Africa is the largest market for Indonesian batik.

"(The exports) are mostly countries like South Africa, then also to China, America also exists. That's thanks to the efforts if there is an international event, right, use batik, it will be more liked," he said.

Reni said that the exported batik will be adjusted to the character and tastes in the destination country.

But in general, the products that are quite eyed by foreign markets are batik products with shady colors or natural colors.

The Ministry of Industry and the Indonesian Batik Foundation will hold a commemoration of the National Batik Movement (GBN) and National Batik Day (HBN) on 30 July-3 August 2025 at Pasaya Blok M, Jakarta, with the theme "Broak Batik".

The event is believed to be a strategic step in spurring the development of the domestic batik industry so that it is increasingly popular with domestic consumers and can even penetrate the export market.

The Ministry of Industry and YBI have determined that the Cirebon Merahwit Writing Batik was selected as an icon of GBN and HBN 2025.

Cirebon's Merahwit Batik is one of the typical Cirebon Nusantara batik which has the characteristics of a fine pattern with detailed ornaments, in the form of thin lines with a bright color background that reflects the richness of art and culture from Cirebon.

Merewit's technique is to scratch the wall canting with hot nights which results in a small, thin stripe scratch color without breaking the background of a light / light cloth, while the line (outline) is dark.