Indonesia ensures rice export quality to Malaysia meets standards

Indonesia's National Food Agency (Bapanas) is actively ensuring that rice destined for export to Malaysia meets stringent quality and safety standards. The agency is overseeing the certification process, including Health Certificates (HC), for both premium and medium rice varieties.

Andriko Noto Susanto, Deputy for Consumption Diversification and Food Security at Bapanas, emphasized the agency's role in guaranteeing that exported rice complies with the destination country's regulations. "We conduct certification, not just HC, but for premium and medium," he stated, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the quality assessment.

With a planned export of 200,000 tons of rice to Malaysia, Bapanas has completed the necessary sample testing and HC fulfillment. "The samples are done. We are obliged to complete the materials to be exported according to the destination country's standards," Susanto explained.

Meanwhile, the price for this significant rice export remains a point of negotiation. Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, President Director of Perum Bulog, indicated that discussions with Malaysian authorities, specifically in Sarawak, are ongoing to determine the quantity and price. Bulog and the Ministry of Agriculture plan to visit Malaysia for these talks. Ramdhani noted that the export price would be set above the domestic retail price, aiming for a price of around Rp16,000 per kg, a directive from President Prabowo Subianto to benefit farmers and boost state revenue.