Barantin: Integrated Quarantine Facility in East Java Boosts Logistics Service Efficiency

The existence of this integrated facility is expected to ensure protection of biological resources. Sidoarjo, East Java (ANTARA) - Head of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) Abdul Kadir Karding stated that the Integrated Quarantine Facility in East Java strengthens national biological resource protection while improving logistics service efficiency and inter-regional trade. “The existence of this integrated facility is expected to ensure protection of biological resources, reduce certification service times, enhance trade efficiency, and prevent illegal levies in the oversight and distribution processes of commodities between regions as well as for exports and imports,” Karding said in Sidoarjo on Friday. According to him, the inauguration of the Integrated Quarantine Facility in East Java, held on Friday (8/5), marks the initial milestone in integrating quarantine services for commodities such as animals, plants, and fisheries into a single area to improve oversight efficiency and protection of Indonesia’s biological resources. Karding explained that quarantine plays a crucial role in guaranteeing the safety of commodity distribution to avoid threats from diseases or smuggling of dangerous goods that could harm the country in the long term. He revealed that the government once discovered a case of illegal goats infected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus, causing material losses and significantly reducing the national goat livestock population. In addition, his agency also found a case of animal feed mixed with narcotics, making both cases a serious concern for the government in strengthening quarantine oversight against bioterorism threats and national food security. “Law Number 21 of 2019 mandates a system for protecting biodiversity so that biological resource supplies remain sustainable for food, feed, and energy. Thus, quarantine is present to ensure that its distribution process is safe and healthy, preventing unwanted incidents,” he said. Karding also appreciated the support from the East Java Provincial Government (Pemprov Jatim), which provided land for the construction of the integrated quarantine area within the modern agribusiness trading complex of Puspa Agro, owned by the Regional Owned Enterprise (BUMD) of Pemprov Jatim, as the only model in Indonesia that is hoped to be implemented in other regions as well. He hopes that the integrated facility will provide significant economic benefits for business actors and the people of East Java.