Indonesia Promotes Rice Exports to Saudi Arabia for Hajj Pilgrims

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, has committed to promoting rice exports to Saudi Arabia to support food self-sufficiency in Hajj operations. This initiative aims to ensure that Indonesian Hajj pilgrims can enjoy rice produced domestically during the upcoming Hajj season.

As quoted by the official website of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Director General for the Development of the Hajj and Umrah Economic Ecosystem (PE2HU) Jaenal Effendi, emphasized that the use of domestically produced rice is a top priority to strengthen the national Hajj ecosystem. According to him, Indonesia no longer needs to rely on rice supplies from other countries such as Vietnam and Thailand to meet the consumption needs of Hajj pilgrims.

“Meeting the food needs of Hajj pilgrims requires full commitment. Strong synergy is required with relevant ministries and institutions, such as the Coordinating Ministry for Food, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Trade, as well as other stakeholders, so that the policies formulated are aligned and the Hajj food supply chain can be strengthened,” Jaenal Effendi said during a coordination meeting in Jakarta on Monday, January 26, 2026.

He stated that the coordination meeting, which was also attended by State-Owned Public Company Engaged in the Food Logistics Sector and the Ministry of Agriculture, resulted in a shared commitment to promote the use of national rice. The meeting also discussed export regulations, licensing mechanisms, and challenges related to the price competitiveness of Indonesian rice in the Saudi Arabian market.

Jaenal assessed that the current condition of rice self-sufficiency represents a prime opportunity for Indonesia to compete strongly. He said the government is optimistic about this prospect due to the ongoing strengthening of the Hajj economic ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Director of Partnership Facilitation at PE2HU, Tri Hidayatno, who also attended the meeting, stated that this step is part of building a new legacy.

“Through this synergy, we are creating a bridge so that the substantial economic circulation of the Hajj can be directly felt by business actors and producers in the country,” he said.

Based on projections by the Directorate General of PE2HU, rice requirements for 205,420 Hajj pilgrims and officers during the 1447 H/2026 M Hajj season are estimated to reach approximately 3,913 tons. This figure is calculated based on an assumption of 150 grams per serving for 127 meals during the Hajj operational period.