This statement comes amid growing export opportunities to Saudi Arabia, particularly to support the needs of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
“As a quality assurance body, we have conducted inspections to ensure the implementation of sanitation, hygiene, and food safety principles throughout the fishery supply chain,” said Head of the Ministry’s Product Quality Control and Supervision Agency, Ishartini, in a statement on Saturday.
She noted that the ministry recently held a courtesy meeting with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia in Jakarta.
To date, the ministry has successfully overseen 63 Fish Processing Units (UPIs) approved for export by Saudi authorities—an increase from 58 UPIs the previous year.
Ishartini added that the ministry is working closely with the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hajj and Umrah authorities, and the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta to expand UPI exports.
This collaboration includes joint supervision of quality assurance and food safety at both the farm and processing levels.
“The initiative is primarily aimed at meeting the needs of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims in the Holy Land,” she said.
In addition to serving Saudi citizens, Indonesian fishery exports have the potential to support Hajj logistics, with an estimated 221,000 pilgrims requiring up to 25.8 million food boxes annually.
There is also potential to meet the needs of 665,000 members of the Indonesian diaspora and 675,000 Umrah pilgrims each year, according to data from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Ishartini emphasized the ministry’s commitment to maintaining product quality and safety through a Quality Equivalency Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).
This commitment includes accelerating the registration of export approvals in coordination with BPOM, the Quality Agency, the Saudi Embassy in Jakarta, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs to identify opportunities and connect with potential suppliers.
Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono previously affirmed that the ministry enforces strict and consistent quality control measures to enhance competitiveness and ensure the global viability of Indonesian fishery products.
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Translator: Muhammad Harianto, Katriana
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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