Standardization and Product Safety in Villages Remain Export Barriers: Govt

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s village-based flagship products continue to face challenges in penetrating inter-island and export markets. The government considers quality improvement and guidance essential to unlocking villages’ broader economic potential.

“The current issue is that commodities intended for export -- particularly in our sector, such as plants, fish, livestock, and their derivatives -- lack quality standards and safety guarantees,” said Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) Head Abdul Kadir Karding, after signing an MoU with the Ministry of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions in Jakarta on Thursday, June 18, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Minister Karding noted that many village products fail to meet the quality and safety standards required by domestic and international markets, making it difficult to market these commodities both regionally and abroad. He added that village businesses also struggle to meet certification requirements. “Certification for exports or inter-island trade,” he said.

Beyond certification, Karding emphasized the importance of product traceability, which has become a key focus in global trade. “International trade now places great emphasis on product origins. Specifically, cultivation methods, processing, and so on,” he said.

Product safety, he added, is another determining factor for market acceptance, underscoring the need for ongoing guidance and education for rural entrepreneurs. “If they aren’t guided and educated, in my view, the goal of establishing 5,000 export villages will be hard to reach,” he said.

Through collaboration with the Ministry of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions, Barantin will assist villages with export potential in meeting quality standards, certification requirements, traceability, and product safety. “In the future, if needed, we can help them obtain the necessary certifications there,” Minister Karding said.

This initiative is expected to expand opportunities for village commodities to penetrate export markets. In 2025, the value of commodities subject to quarantine measures was recorded at around IDR 393 trillion (approximately USD 22.08 billion), with more than 2.6 million quarantine certificates issued. ***