Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs (Menko Pangan) Zulkifli Hasan opened his voice regarding Indonesia's plan to export rice for neighboring Malaysia. He said the government was still waiting before being reported.
Zulhas, as Zulkifli Hasan is familiarly called, said that rice exports would be carried out if there were other countries that needed Indonesian assistance.
"We'll have to wait. We just have a lot, we're happy, look around first. But if there are (neighbors) who are lacking, we'll help. The President said so. If there are fewer neighbors, we'll help," he said when met at the Coordinating Ministry for Food, Jakarta, Friday, May 16.
Currently, said Zulhas, the government is happy. This is because the stock of rice reserves in Perum Bulog's warehouse reaches 3.7 million tons.
"We are happy with this, there are more rice. 3.7 tons," he said.
Previously, Deputy Minister of Agriculture (Wamentan) Sudaryono said the government's rice reserves (CBP) reached 3.7 million tons. Meanwhile, rice absorption from January 2025 to mid-May has reached 2.1 million tons.
Sudaryono said that with that amount, Indonesia is in a position that is very ready to export rice to a number of countries, one of which is to the neighboring country.
Furthermore, Sudaryono admitted that the Ministry of Agriculture had also communicated with the Malaysian side to execute the rice export plan.
"The Minister (Amran Sulaiman) has also met with the Minister of Agriculture of Malaysia. In essence, we have this standard, this price, okay? Okay, go," he said during a visit at the Padi Milling Center (SPP) Karawang, West Java, Thursday, May 15.
In a meeting with Malaysia, continued Sudaryono, Indonesia plans to export 2,000 tons per month.
"Yesterday, what was discussed was probably around 2,000 tons per month, yes, because Malaysia also took it from many places," he said.
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Sudaryono emphasized that currently there has been no export agreement with Malaysia. The Ministry of Agriculture, he said, is also in a position waiting for orders from President Prabowo Subianto.
"We are regulating this again, the point is when the president has given an order, when needed, then we are ready," he said.
Despite opening export opportunities to various regions, Sudaryono emphasized that Indonesia does not lack rice stocks for domestic needs.
"The point is from the Indonesian government, we state that we are ready, if indeed we have to export some of our reserves for us to send to Malaysia, or to other countries," he explained.
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