RI Ready To Export Rice To ASEAN Countries, Minister Of Agriculture Amran: Prabowo's Directives

JAKARTA - Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman said that Indonesia is ready to export rice to other ASEAN member countries, after opening the tap for rice exports to Malaysia.

"The direction of the President (Prabowo Subianto), if a friendly country, a neighboring country, let alone need rice, we will prepare it," Amran said as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 30.

However, Amran emphasized, the plan to export rice to neighboring countries must also ensure that domestic rice needs have been met.

He said that rice exports would be carried out by the government if domestic needs were met.

"Obviously, it must be a priority in the country first," he said.

Currently, Amran revealed, rice export cooperation has been established in Malaysia between businesses (business to business/B-to-B).

Indonesia will later export 2,000 tons of rice to Malaysia per month or 24,000 tons per year.

Regarding when the exports will begin, Amran releases him to the business people involved.

"We plan to send it from the closest (to Malaysia), from West Kalimantan," said Amran.

Previously, Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono stated that President Prabowo Subianto had given the "green light" to Indonesia's rice commodity export plans to Malaysia.

Sudaryono explained that communication with Malaysia had been carried out, including meeting directly with businessmen from the country who expressed interest in importing rice from Indonesia.

According to him, Malaysian entrepreneurs convey the need for rice as much as 2,000 tons per month, and this amount will be adjusted to the supply capacity of Indonesia.

Sudaryono emphasized that the government is ready to carry out exports according to the president's instructions, and currently the ball is in the hands of the Malaysian government to start the cooperation.

Currently, based on the real-time report as of Friday, May 30, 2025 at 11.38 WIB, the absorption equivalent to rice by Bulog has reached 2,407,863 tons, and the total official national rice stock is 4,001,279 tons.