Agriculture Minister States Malaysia Wants to Import 500,000 Tonnes of Rice from Indonesia
Malaysia is reportedly planning to purchase a large quantity of rice from Indonesia amid the strengthening of the country’s national food stocks, which have reached a new record. This purchasing plan emerges as Indonesia records a production surplus and a significantly increased rice reserve position.
Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman stated that Malaysia has requested up to 500,000 tonnes of rice and has scheduled further discussions regarding the plan. He assessed that the demand reflects a change in Indonesia’s position in the regional food market.
“Well, we have our Malaysian counterparts here. They’re requesting 500,000 tonnes of rice,” said Amran in Surabaya on Wednesday (13/5/2026).
He mentioned that the national rice stock currently stands at 5.3 million tonnes. This situation has filled the capacity of Perum Bulog’s warehouses, prompting the government to rent additional storage facilities.
Amran stated that this condition is supported by strong national rice production. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicate that Indonesia’s rice production is around 34.6 million tonnes, with a surplus of approximately 4 million tonnes.
According to Amran, Indonesia is now in a different position compared to a few years ago when it was one of the world’s largest rice importers. The cessation of imports over the past two years is also said to have influenced global rice price dynamics.
He noted that global rice prices have fallen from around $660 per tonne to the range of $340 to $380 per tonne after Indonesia no longer entered the import market in large volumes. “Indonesia was the world’s largest rice importer and suddenly stopped. Of course, prices would drop, right?” he said.
Amran emphasised that the current national food stocks are deemed sufficient to face potential production disruptions due to El Niño or global food crises. He stated that domestic rice reserves and production are estimated to meet needs for around 11 months ahead.
Perum Bulog’s President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani said that the national rice stock is at a safe level. As of now, Bulog’s rice reserves are recorded at 5.3 million tonnes.
Bulog estimates that stocks will increase to around 6 million tonnes by the end of May 2026. This figure would be the highest record in the institution’s history.
“Insha’Allah, it’s safe. So, looking at the current stock of 5.3 million tonnes, we assure that facing El Niño will be safe,” said Rizal in Jakarta on Monday (11/5/2026).
He noted that this achievement surpasses the previous record of around 4.2 million tonnes. Bulog is also continuing to strengthen the absorption of paddy and food distribution to maintain price stability.
Meanwhile, President Prabowo Subianto previously highlighted the risks of climate change and El Niño to food production in the ASEAN region. At the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, President Prabowo urged strengthened regional food cooperation, including through the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR).