RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has released its first export of rice from the Government Rice Reserve (CBP) to Saudi Arabia, totaling an estimated 2,280 tons.

The release was conducted by Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman at the State-owned Logistics Agency (BULOG) warehouse in Jakarta on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

Minister Amran said the export marks a new milestone for the national rice sector, noting that Indonesia currently has a strong rice stock. “This is good momentum because our stock has reached 3.7 million tons,” he said.

He emphasized that the export demonstrates the strength of national production and reflects the government’s effort to reinforce Indonesia’s position as a rice producer.

The initial export volume reached 2,280 tons of premium rice, valued at IDR 38 billion (approximately USD 2.24 million). The shipment is intended to meet the rice needs of approximately 215,000 Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

Indonesia’s rice market in Saudi Arabia is projected to expand further, covering Umrah pilgrims and Indonesian citizens living there, estimated at around 2 million people annually. Minister Amran said rice requirements for Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are estimated at 20,000 to 50,000 tons per year. “Hopefully, we can increase exports in the future,” he said.

In addition to Saudi Arabia, export opportunities are being explored in Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

BULOG President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani said the rice sent was CBP Premium rice that met high-quality standards. “This Hajj Rice is the best rice we have, with premium quality of only five percent broken grains and moisture content below 14 percent. So far, premium rice in Indonesia has had 15 percent broken grains, but this has only five percent,” he said.

Production is carried out through four processing facilities: Wilmar Serang, another Wilmar facility, and BULOG’s processing units in Karawang and Subang. Shipments are scheduled to begin on March 7, 2026, supported by international shipping and domestic transportation, including Hyundai’s fleet and local shipping companies.

The export follows a government coordination meeting in February 2026, led by the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs, which assigned BULOG to manage government rice reserves for Hajj exports. (Gusti Panji/Lasti Martina)