Buyers Shifting to Vietnam Due to 19% Trump Tariff

JAKARTA, 16 Juli 2025 – Pelaku industri furnitur Indonesia menilai penetapan tarif bea masuk sebesar 19% oleh Amerika Serikat (AS) tetap menjadi tantangan berat bagi kinerja ekspor nasional. Meskipun angka ini lebih rendah dibanding potensi tarif maksimum sebelumnya, beban biaya yang signifikan dikhawatirkan mengikis daya saing produk Indonesia di pasar global.

Ketua Umum Himpunan Industri Mebel dan Kerajinan Indonesia (HIMKI), Abdul Sobur, menegaskan bahwa tarif trump 19% ini bukanlah angka kecil, terutama jika dibandingkan dengan tarif preferensi mendekati nol yang pernah berlaku sebelumnya.

"Walaupun lebih ringan dari ancaman tarif trump 32%, ini tetap menggerus margin eksportir furnitur dan meningkatkan risiko buyer AS mengalihkan order ke negara lain seperti Vietnam," ujar Sobur kepada Kontan, Rabu (16/7). Vietnam, saat ini dikenai tarif serupa di kisaran 18%, dan dengan produktivitas tinggi serta efisiensi produksi yang lebih mapan, posisi Vietnam tetap menjadi kompetitor langsung bagi eksportir furnitur Indonesia di pasar AS.

Menurut Sobur, sebelumnya tarif terhadap produk furnitur Indonesia pernah menyentuh 32%. Dengan kebijakan terbaru dari AS, beban tersebut memang turun 13 poin persentase. Namun, dibandingkan dengan negara-negara yang mendapatkan Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate, tarif Indonesia masih tergolong tinggi. "Jadi ini bukan penghapusan, hanya penurunan dari hambatan yang tadinya berpotensi jauh lebih berat," jelasnya.

Dampak Tarif Trump 19% pada Produk Unggulan dan Pasar

HIMKI mencatat bahwa produk furnitur kayu merupakan kontributor utama ekspor nasional ke AS. Sekitar 60% ekspor furnitur Indonesia ke Negeri Paman Sam berasal dari wooden furniture seperti teak outdoor furniture, indoor furniture, dan kerajinan kayu, dengan nilai mencapai US$1,5 miliar per tahun.

"Yang paling terdampak adalah produk kayu menengah hingga premium. Buyer yang sensitif harga pasti akan menawar lebih rendah, ini tekanan langsung ke margin perusahaan," kata Sobur.

Rekomendasi Strategis HIMKI kepada Pemerintah

Menanggapi situasi ini, HIMKI mendorong pemerintah untuk mengambil sejumlah langkah strategis:

1. Diplomasi Lanjutan: Melanjutkan diplomasi agar tarif dapat diturunkan lebih rendah lagi atau adanya skema pengecualian khusus untuk industri padat karya seperti furnitur.

2. Pemberian Insentif Fiskal: Menyediakan kemudahan bunga pinjaman dan pembebasan bea impor bahan baku.

3. Percepatan Diversifikasi Pasar Ekspor: Memanfaatkan perjanjian IEU–CEPA untuk Eropa, serta membuka akses lebih luas ke Timur Tengah dan Asia Selatan. "Jangan sampai ekspor ke AS melambat, sementara kita belum kuat di pasar alternatif," tegas Sobur.

4. Dukungan Peningkatan Kapasitas Produksi: Pentingnya dukungan pemerintah terhadap percepatan peningkatan kapasitas produksi dan industrial upgrading agar produk lokal dapat tetap bersaing di segmen harga yang lebih tinggi.

5. Perlindungan Pasar Domestik: Menjaga pasar domestik dari banjir produk impor dari Tiongkok, Vietnam, atau AS sendiri. "Kalau tidak diatur, tekanan akan datang dari dua sisi: ekspor sulit, pasar lokal tergerus," imbuh Sobur.

   
   

Sumber: Kontan.co.id.

JAKARTA, July 16, 2025 – Indonesian furniture industry players believe that the imposition of a 19% import tariff by the United States (US) remains a significant challenge for national export performance. Although this figure is lower than the previously threatened maximum tariff, the substantial cost burden is feared to erode the competitiveness of Indonesian products in the global market.

The Chairman of the Indonesian Furniture and Craft Industry Association (HIMKI), Abdul Sobur, emphasized that this 19% Trump tariff is not a small figure, especially when compared to the almost zero preferential tariffs that were previously in effect.

"Although lighter than the threatened 32% Trump tariff, it still erodes the margins of furniture exporters and increases the risk of US buyers shifting orders to other countries like Vietnam," Sobur told Kontan on Wednesday (16/7). Vietnam is currently subject to a similar tariff of around 18%, and with its high productivity and more established production efficiency, Vietnam remains a direct competitor for Indonesian furniture exporters in the US market.

According to Sobur, previously the tariff on Indonesian furniture products had reached 32%. With the latest US policy, that burden has indeed decreased by 13 percentage points. However, compared to countries that receive the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate, Indonesia's tariff is still relatively high. "So this is not an abolition, only a reduction from an obstacle that had the potential to be much heavier," he explained.

Impact of the 19% Trump Tariff on Key Products and Markets

HIMKI notes that wooden furniture products are the main contributor to national exports to the US. Approximately 60% of Indonesian furniture exports to Uncle Sam's country come from wooden furniture such as teak outdoor furniture, indoor furniture, and wood crafts, with a value reaching US$1.5 billion per year.

"The most affected are medium to premium wood products. Price-sensitive buyers will definitely bid lower; this is direct pressure on company margins," said Sobur.

HIMKI's Strategic Recommendations to the Government

Responding to this situation, HIMKI urges the government to take several strategic steps:

1. Continued Diplomacy: Continue diplomacy so that tariffs can be lowered even further or to secure special exemption schemes for labor-intensive industries like furniture.

2. Fiscal Incentives: Provide easier access to loan interest and exemption from raw material import duties.

3. Accelerating Export Market Diversification: Utilize the IEU–CEPA agreement for Europe, and open wider access to the Middle East and South Asia. "Don't let exports to the US slow down, while we are not yet strong in alternative markets," Sobur emphasized.

4. Support for Production Capacity Improvement: The importance of government support for accelerating production capacity improvement and industrial upgrading so that local products can remain competitive in higher price segments.

5. Domestic Market Protection: Protect the domestic market from being flooded by imported products from China, Vietnam, or the US itself. "If not regulated, pressure will come from two sides: exports are difficult, local markets are eroded," added Sobur.

Source: Kontan.co.id.