Bali's Major Imports: Fuel, Machinery, Food & More

Bali, as a small island with a tourism-driven economy and limited heavy industry, relies heavily on imports — both from other Indonesian islands (mainly Java) and internationally.

Top Import Categories

1. Petroleum & Petroleum Products — Gasoline, diesel, avtur (jet fuel), LPG. No local refining; supplied via Pertamina from Java/Balongan or imported.
2. Machinery & Equipment — Construction (excavators, generators), agricultural (tractors, pumps), industrial, HVAC, elevators.
3. Foodstuffs & Beverages — Rice (despite local production), wheat flour, sugar, cooking oil, dairy (milk powder, cheese), beef, chicken, processed foods, soft drinks, alcohol, tea, coffee.
4. Textiles & Apparel — Tourist-market clothing, uniforms, fabrics. Local weaving (ikat, endek) is niche.
5. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals — Fertilizers (urea, NPK), pesticides, veterinary meds, human pharmaceuticals, cleaning agents.
6. Electronics & Appliances — Phones, laptops, TVs, AC units, refrigerators, motors, components.
7. Vehicles & Parts — Motorcycles (Honda, Yamaha — huge market), cars (Toyota, Mitsubishi, Suzuki), spare parts, tires, batteries.
8. Construction Materials — Cement, steel (rebar, structural), glass, tiles, sanitary ware, paint, plywood.
9. Paper & Paper Products — Printing paper, packaging, cardboard, tissue.
10. Fertilizers & Pesticides (Ag Inputs) — Critical for rice, horticulture; subsidized urea distributed via farmer groups.

Sources

• Inter-island (Java — Surabaya, Jakarta): Fuel, cement, steel, rice, flour, sugar, vehicles, most consumer goods.
• International (direct or via Jakarta/Tanjung Priok): Machinery, electronics, pharma, chemicals, specialty foods, luxury goods.
• Ports: Benoa (main), Celukan Bawang (north), Padangbai (ferry to Lombok).

Economic Context

• Tourism earns ~$10B+/yr (pre-COVID) — pays for imports.
• Trade deficit is structural; balanced by tourism receipts & remittances.
• Efforts to localize: Mandatory local content (TKDN) for some goods; push for agro-processing, EV assembly.

Bali imports almost everything except tropical fruit, vegetables, fish, seaweed, handicrafts, and labor-intensive services.