Ministry Of Agriculture Approves The Import Of 103 Thousand Tons Of Garlic From China

Garlic illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Agriculture has issued a Horticultural Product Import Recommendation (RIPH) permit for garlic amounting to 103,000 tons from China.

The Ministry of Agriculture's Director General of Horticulture Prihasto Setyanto said the issuance of this import permit was carried out because the domestic garlic stock was running low, namely 70,000 tons. The stock is only able to meet the needs until mid-March.

"The stock is approximately 70,000 tonnes. So until March there is actually enough stock, but we have opened (imports) to anticipate the next two or three months," said Prihasto when met after the DPR Commission IV Hearing Meeting in Jakarta, Monday February 10th.

Prihasto estimates that the 103,000 tonnes of garlic imports can meet the demand for the next two to three months. The national garlic consumption needs reach 560,000-850,000 tonnes per year or around 47,000 tonnes per month.

For information, domestic garlic production has only reached 85,000 tons per year or about 10 percent of the national need, while 90 percent must be met through imports.

Most of the garlic imports come from China, considering that the country has the largest production in the world for the commodity of garlic. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency, Indonesia imported garlic from China in 2019, reaching 465,000 tons or the equivalent of US $ 529.96 million.

Regarding the concern of the Corona virus that is endemic in China, Prihasto ensured that plant-based commodities, including garlic, were not categorized as carriers of the corona virus.

However, the Ministry of Agriculture remains vigilant about the entry of food commodities from the Bamboo Curtain country. "Indeed, yesterday there was a delay. From the results of yesterday's limited meeting, it was stated that consumption goods from plants were safe, but even so, we must not be negligent, must not be careless and must not be neglected," said Prihasto.