We will give awards to catering companies that use Indonesian products more than othersJakarta (ANTARA) - The catering service for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims must use at least 30 percent of Indonesian products, the Religious Affairs Ministry stated.
"This year, we want food ingredients for the catering services for our Hajj pilgrims to be Indonesian products," the Ministry's Director General of Hajj and Umrah Implementation, Hilman Latief, remarked here on Wednesday.
According to the cooperation contract, the Indonesian government determines that the catering service for Hajj pilgrims must use Indonesian products reaching at least 30 percent.
"We will give awards to catering companies that use Indonesian products more than others," Latief remarked.
Millions of food boxes are prepared for Indonesian pilgrims at the Saudi Arabia airport, the cities of Medina and Mecca, as well as at Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina.
There are 76 kitchens in Saudi Arabia, comprising 53 in Mecca, 21 in Medina, and two at the airport, for preparing food for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, Latief remarked.
The government has also assigned officers to supervise meal preparations and distribution to ensure the quality of catering service.
"This year, two Hajj officers will be in charge of supervising the catering kitchen, starting from the preparation, distribution, and feasibility process," he remarked.
Meanwhile, the Religious Affairs Ministry has brought together importers of Indonesian food ingredients with Hajj catering service providers in Saudi Arabia.
The gathering was aimed at increasing the use of Indonesian products in providing catering services for Hajj pilgrims.
The ministry's inspector general, Faisal, stated that the selection of catering service providers for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims was conducted in a transparent and accountable manner.
"The selected service providers are those considered to be the best and that must be proven during this year's Hajj implementation," he remarked.
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Translator: Asep F, Kenzu
Editor: Sri Haryati
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