In August 2025, the province of Gorontalo recorded a noteworthy surge in its export performance, with export value reaching USD 10.01 million—an increase of 21.08% over the previous month and 25.20% compared to August 2024. This upward trend reflects a broader push by local authorities toward promoting downstream processing (hilirisasi) of regional products, particularly in sectors like wood, fisheries, and agricultural goods. Over the January–August period, cumulative exports from Gorontalo reached USD 58.89 million, marking a 42.45% year-on-year increase from USD 41.34 million in the same period in 2024.
Meanwhile, import activities in Gorontalo plunged sharply in August 2025, registering only USD 983,000—a drop of 32.47% compared to the previous year—and falling by 93.39% relative to July 2025 levels. Over the first eight months, total imports were just USD 1.68 million, dramatically lower than the USD 25.53 million recorded in the same span of 2024. As a result, Gorontalo achieved a trade surplus of approximately USD 57.21 million for January–August 2025, earning one of its strongest trade balances in recent years.
