Quality And Security Indicators Are Causes Of Indonesian Food Exports By Depriving Other Countries

Head of the National Food Agency (Banapan) Arief Prasetyo Adi. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Food Agency (Bapana) Arief Prasetyo Adi said the quality and safety indicators were the barrier in terms of food exports.

Bapanas, continued Arief, is strengthening food safety standards and quality in order to meet international trade requirements to encourage an increase in exports of local food commodities.

"We are also still facing the challenges of food security, export refusal, and food congenital diseases caused by the non-compliance of food standards and quality," Arief said as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 20.

Based on the Economist Intelligence Unit, Indonesia's Global Food Security Index is 69 out of 113 countries.

Arief said the National Consolidation of Strengthening Food Standards carried out from various stakeholders, starting from government agencies, associations, and the private sector, aims to formulate quality standards and food safety in order to increase the competitiveness of Indonesian food products in the global arena.

He revealed, there are several Indonesian food commodities that should be exported to other countries, but are constrained by security and quality standards.

"We have several products that have now started to export, so don't let our exports like yesterday's nutmeg to Europe, until it doesn't meet the standards. So it has to be finished in Indonesia so that we can export our products," said Arief.

Arief mentioned the importance of food security to avoid congenital diseases from food products or foodboard diseases that have an impact on humans.

For your information, Bapanas in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 18 of 2012 concerning Food and Presidential Regulation Number 66 of 2021 concerning the National Food Agency has the authority to supervise security, quality, nutrition, labels, and food advertisements for fresh food.

Bagas has the authority over standard formulations in the form of technical regulations, guidelines, and SNIs.