Minister of Agriculture Amran Emphasizes No Tolerance for Illegal Food Import Practices

JAKARTA - The Minister of Agriculture (Mentan) and Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that there was no tolerance for illegal food import practices because it disrupted the spirit in realizing national food independence.

"At a time when we are actively increasing national food production, there are still individuals who try to smuggle rice, onions, and other food commodities. This cannot be tolerated and must be dealt with firmly," said Amran in his statement in Jakarta, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, December 24.

He conveyed this in response to the disclosure of the circulation of 72 tons of illegal imported onion with quarantine plant pest organisms (OPTK) in East Java.

He also asked law enforcement officers to investigate thoroughly and take action without compromise on the case of smuggling imported onions at Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya, East Java.

In addition to entering without official permission, the commodities were also proven to contain OPTK, which has the potential to cause great damage to the national agricultural sector.

He appreciated the East Java Police who quickly uncovered and secured the illegal import of onions.

"After the examination, the commodities were found to contain diseases that have the potential to damage agricultural crops in Indonesia," said Amran, who was present to witness the destruction of illegal garlic in Surabaya.

Amran added that the illegal commodities originated from the Netherlands and entered Indonesia through Malaysia before being smuggled into the country.

Based on the report of law enforcement officers, the disclosure of the illegal smuggling of onions occurred on December 2, 2025 at around 10.00 WIB.

Initial information indicates that there are plans to ship shallots from Kalimantan to East Java via the sea route. The commodity was sent from Kumai Port, Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, with the goal of Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya, East Java.

"I believe that the East Java Police Chief together with the Ditkrimsus ranks will follow up on this case seriously," he said.

The Minister of Agriculture said that the total number of illegal shallots identified reached 18 containers, consisting of 14 containers that had been detected previously and an additional 4 containers or equivalent to approximately 72 tons in the latest disclosure.

"This includes being brave enough to enter the heart of the Indonesian city," said Amran.

In practice, the illegal onions were sent without a plant health certificate from the Quarantine Office. To deceive officers, the perpetrators used false shipping documents with the description of the commodity as palm shells.

Based on the label on the packaging, the shallots were recorded as originating from the Netherlands with importers from Malaysia.

Based on the results of the quarantine laboratory test, it was found that the illegal onions were positive for four types of OPTK, namely Aphelenchoides fragariae, Rhabditis sp, Alternaria alternata, and Drechslera tertramera.

"You can imagine if our onions are affected, or our plants are affected. It is very difficult for us to overcome," said the Minister.

For this reason, Amran asked that the case be traced to the root, including the network of importers, logistics actors, and all parties involved in the smuggling practice.

He emphasized that law enforcement must be carried out thoroughly and without compromise to provide a deterrent effect, as well as ensure maximum protection for the national agricultural sector and Indonesia's food security.

"This should not be compromised. All parties involved must be dealt with firmly in accordance with applicable laws, because this endangers our crops and can have a wide impact on national food security," said the Minister.