Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman announced on Friday that the rice export agreement with Malaysia is being carried out on a business-to-business (B2B) basis.
However, he clarified that the rice does not have to come solely from West Kalimantan—other companies located near Malaysia may also participate in the exports.
Regarding the export start date, Sulaiman said it would be determined by the businesses involved.
He added that exporters may ship any type of rice, from medium to premium quality.
Sulaiman emphasized that meeting domestic rice needs remains the government’s top priority.
In addition to Malaysia, the minister expressed Indonesia’s readiness to supply rice to other ASEAN member countries.
“President Prabowo Subianto has instructed us to prepare rice for neighboring countries in need,” he said.
On May 28, Deputy Agriculture Minister Sudaryono confirmed that President Prabowo had approved the export plan.
He said that Malaysian businesses had requested around 2,000 tons of rice per month, though this volume may be adjusted depending on Indonesia’s supply capacity.
Sudaryono also noted that discussions with the Malaysian government and businesses have already taken place, and Indonesia is awaiting Malaysia’s export mechanism and official confirmation before shipments begin.
As of Friday, state-owned logistics company Bulog has absorbed around 2.4 million tons of rice from domestic farmers. The national rice stock currently exceeds 4 million tons.
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Translator: Putu Indah S, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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