Prabowo Orders To Stop Imports Of Rice, Salt, Sugar, Corn In 2025

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan in a press conference after attending a limited food security meeting chaired by President Prabowo Subianto at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (30/12/2024). ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi.

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto while chairing a limited meeting with several ministers at the State Palace, Jakarta, ordered his ministers to stop imports of rice, salt, sugar consumption, and corn by 2025.

Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan informed reporters about the President's order during a press conference at the State Palace complex after the meeting.

"Alhamdulillah, earlier in the first meeting (limited meeting), we have decided, not to import rice, Mr. Minister of Agriculture, yes, next year, no (imports). Not importing rice, then corn, sugar for consumption, and salt," said Zulkifli Hasan as reported by ANTARA, Monday, December 30.

Zulhas said there was no import quota for these commodities in 2025. According to Zulhas, information regarding the import quota, Zulhas answered reporters' questions after a press conference when he was walking to his vehicle.

In the same meeting, the President also decided to increase the purchase price of the government (HPP) of Rp500, from Rp6,000 to Rp6,500. Then, the results of the meeting chaired by the President also decided to increase the purchase reference price (HAP) of corn by Rp500, from Rp5,000 to Rp5,500.

The increase, Zulhas revealed, had gone through a long debate during the meeting.

"Earlier, through a long debate, the President has decided, good news for farmers, the price of unhulled rice has been agreed to go up from Rp6,000 to Rp6,500. One, HPP rice, two corns, it was agreed that the price would go up from Rp5,000 to Rp5,500," said Zulhas, distributing the results of the meeting during a press conference.

Then, the results of this afternoon's meeting, according to Zulhas, also resulted in a historic decision, namely that the government would buy and accommodate whatever the produce of grain, rice and corn from farmers.

"No matter how much the production of unhulled rice and corn, farmers will be accommodated according to the price set by the government," said Zulhas.

The farmers' crops will later be accommodated in warehouses owned by Bulog, the main cooperative, and the resi warehouse.

President Prabowo Subianto chaired a limited meeting with a number of his ministers at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday afternoon, to discuss government food security programs.

The meeting, which was attended by the Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto, Head of the National Food Agency Arief Prasetyo Adi, Minister of Trade Budi Santoso, and President Director of Perum Bulog Wahyu Suparyono, lasted for approximately 2 hours.

In the same meeting, there were also Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, and Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.