Bulog CEO Assures Rice for Indonesian Hajj from the Latest Harvest

JAKARTA - Perum Bulog President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani ensures that the use of rice for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims sent to Saudi Arabia is sourced from the latest harvest of farmers in the country.

"The rice we send to Saudi Arabia is super premium rice, a fraction of less than 5 percent, low water content, and processed from the latest harvest," said Rizal as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, February 13.

Rizal attended a strategic meeting at the Annex Building of the Indonesian Hajj Office, Jeddah, together with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah RI and the Hajj Finance Management Agency (BPKH) Limited, in order to strengthen the synergy of Hajj services for 1447 H/2026 M.

Rizal said the meeting discussed the optimization of consumer services for pilgrims, including the use of premium rice produced domestically as part of efforts to improve service quality and national pride.

He emphasized that the policy was part of the national mandate to ensure food independence while improving the quality of consumption of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims.

"Indonesia has succeeded in achieving food self-sufficiency with the highest rice stock in history. This is not just about price, but about the nation's self-esteem," said Rizal.

Rizal emphasized that the use of domestic rice is aimed at maintaining the health and resilience of Indonesian pilgrims, given that consumption tastes are more in line with the characteristics of national food.

"Our congregation is accustomed to eating Indonesian-style sticky rice. By presenting national rice, it is hoped that the nutritional intake and stamina of the congregation during the Hajj can be maintained better," he added.

Through this cooperation, added Rizal, Bulog, the Ministry of Hajj, and BPKH Limited target an increase in the quality of consumer services for pilgrims, the utilization of national food products, and the strengthening of Indonesia's image internationally, especially in the implementation of the 2026 hajj.

Bulog targets an initial shipment of 2,280 tons of premium rice to Saudi Arabia in the third week of February 2026, in accordance with the agreed demand.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the Development of the Hajj and Umrah Ecosystem of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Republic of Indonesia, Jaenal Effendi, said that cross-sectoral cooperation was part of a strategy to improve the quality of Hajj services, including the optimization of commercial facilities in pilgrim hotels in Mecca and strengthening the Hajj economic ecosystem.

"We encourage synergy with Bulog and BPKH Limited to ensure the quality of consumption services, hotel governance, and the optimization of economic value that remains oriented towards the comfort of pilgrims," said Jaenal.