Indonesia exports 1,000 tons of rice to Malaysia, marking historic milestone

Indonesia has achieved a historic milestone by exporting 1,000 tons of rice to Malaysia, coinciding with the lead-up to the 81st anniversary of its independence. This marks the first rice export since the nation attained self-sufficiency in rice production.

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We used to export to Palestine and Egypt, and now we are exporting to Malaysia.

Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman highlighted the export as a testament to Indonesia's robust national food production, capable of not only fulfilling domestic demand but also serving international markets. He noted the significance of this export in the context of the close historical and cultural ties between the two neighboring nations.

Sulaiman assured that the export is proceeding after confirming ample national rice reserves, with Bulog currently holding 5.2 million tons. The government has also secured additional storage capacity due to strong domestic production, with an estimated surplus of 2 million tons. The Minister emphasized that domestic needs remain the priority, with exports being carefully managed and phased.

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Where we have achieved rice self-sufficiency, our stock is 5.2 million tons as of today. We have even rented warehouses, we have a surplus of 2 million tons.

Initially, 1,000 tons of premium rice will be sent to Malaysia. This volume could potentially increase to 200,000 tons per year to meet the demand in Sarawak alone. The Minister also mentioned discussions with Malaysia's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, who expressed appreciation and openness to increasing rice imports from Indonesia. The economic value of this initial export is estimated at around 3.39 trillion Indonesian Rupiah, based on a price of approximately 3.9 Malaysian Ringgit per kilogram.

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The Minister of Agriculture of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, appreciated it and will accelerate and increase exports from Indonesia to Malaysia.