Ministry of Agriculture Issues Recommendations for 1.1 Million Tons of Garlic Import

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Directorate General of Horticulture, has issued a total of more than 200 hundred Recommendations for the Import of Horticultural Products (RIPH) for garlic with a total volume of 1.1 million tons.

“So it's not just a few importers. I convey that the authority for licensing garlic imports lies with the Ministry of Trade. "After the RIPH is issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, business actors submit a PI (Import Approval) to the Ministry of Trade," said Director General of Horticulture at the Ministry of Agriculture, Prihasto Setyanto, quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, October 15.

Prihasto explained that business actors submitted RIPH Garlic online through SINAS NK integrated with the RIPH System or now called SINAS NK in accordance with Minister of Agriculture Regulation Number 39 of 2019.

If the application meets the administrative and technical requirements, RIPH will be issued.

"Business actors apply for garlic RIPH online through SINAS NK integrated with the RIPH System, which starting in 2023 will be included in the Transitional NK. If the application meets the administrative and technical requirements, a RIPH will be issued," he explained.

Prihasto further emphasized that the RIPH recommendation is a technical recommendation which states that the horticultural products to be imported meet the requirements for products that are safe for consumption and of good quality.

Then, apply the principle of good traceability and meet safety standards for fresh food of plant origin.

"RIPH is required by business actors as one of the conditions for importing horticultural products," he stressed.

As for the 2024 RIPH application, business actors may apply for garlic RIPH according to their compliance in carrying out the mandatory planting and production of garlic as regulated in Minister of Agriculture Regulation 39 of 2019.

If a company has carried out its obligations, it will issue a payment certificate (SKL) from the Ministry of Agriculture cq. Directorate General of Horticulture.

For example, for companies that have implemented mandatory planting and production of garlic with the issuance of 1 SKL and no other planting obligations have been completed, they can apply for RIPH in 2024 for up to 4,000 tonnes. For 2 SKL it is 5,000 tons, and so on for 3, 4 and 5 SKL.

To date, there are more than 100 companies that have implemented the mandatory planting and production of garlic according to existing regulations. The Ministry of Agriculture has also prepared various monitoring instruments for compliance in collaboration with the Food Task Force.

Previously, Acting Minister of Agriculture Arief Prasetyo Adi emphasized that the Ministry of Agriculture is currently instilling an anti-corruption spirit and a spirit of upholding integrity in its ranks.

One of them is by preparing a quick wins program within the next 3 months, including very fast initiative steps to reform the bureaucracy, especially those related to eradicating corruption, collusion and nepotism (KKN), including through the issuance of a transparent RIPH according to the rules for all garlic importers.

"I believe and trust that the Ministry of Agriculture after this will be a dignified Ministry of Agriculture, a Ministry of Agriculture that can be proud of and a Ministry of Agriculture that can be an example for other Ministries," he explained.