Until the end of November 2023, the Customs Office in Tarakan has recorded customs duties, both imports and exports, totaling IDR 10 billion. This achievement surpasses the target by 134.31%. The Tarakan Customs Office aimed for import duties of IDR 6.5 billion and export duties of IDR 948 million this year. Johan Pandores, the Head of Tarakan Customs, reported that by the end of November 2023, the realization of import duties had reached IDR 8.8 billion, achieving 134.59% of the target. Additionally, the export duties realized were IDR 900 million, reaching 94.92% of the target. "Revenue at the Tarakan Customs, which is targeted for both import and export duties. However, what we collect includes four items, among them, taxes on import costs entrusted to us," he said. Although the realization of export duties has not yet reached the 100% target, Johan mentioned they still have approximately a month to achieve it. He admitted that the shortfall in export duties was due to the export of crude palm oil (CPO) through the Tarakan Customs. "We have met with CPO exporters in Berau, but they say they have already sold it domestically," he stated.
CPO exporters acknowledged that selling CPO domestically is more profitable than selling it abroad. Additionally, selling domestically eliminates the need for various required documents. However, for each CPO export, the export duty to be collected amounts to IDR 2 billion. Therefore, by the end of this year, CPO exporters are not planning to sell CPO abroad. Currently, there is only one company exporting CPO through the Tarakan Customs. "We are still hoping for the export of processed wood from PT Idec Wood. There is an export duty, but it's minimal," he added. Until now, the highest export duties have been found in CPO and its derivatives. Coal, on the other hand, is no longer subject to export duties. The government has not yet made any determinations regarding export duties on other commodities. Meanwhile, the surplus in import duties is attributed to strategic development projects in the North Kalimantan region. The dominating commodities are machinery, spare parts, and construction-related goods for paper mills and the industrial estate. The Customs Office predicts an import duty of IDR 4 billion in early December, mainly for the import of capital goods and necessities for CPO plantations and machine spare parts.
