Bulog Officially Launches Rice Exports to Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The state-owned company, PT Perum Bulog, officially released rice for export to Saudi Arabia to meet the needs of Indonesian haj pilgrims, on Wednesday (4 March 2026). The release ceremony was held in a ceremonial fashion at Bulog’s Kanwil DKI Jakarta and Banten Warehouse, Kelapa Gading Barat, North Jakarta.

“On Wednesday, 4 March 2026, we carried out the release of Beefood Nusantara rice exports for the Indonesian Haj pilgrims,” said Bulog Chief Executive Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani at the site. “The quantity is adjusted to the needs of pilgrims and haj officers for the year 1447 Hijri.”

“This is in line with the request from the Hajj Ministry, in accordance with the number of Indonesian haj pilgrims this year, around 215,000,” Ramdhani added.

Rizal explained that the rice shipped to Saudi Arabia comes from gabah kering panen (GKP) that has just been harvested. The rice is then sent to the milling facilities operated by PT Padi Indonesia Maju (PIM), owned by PT Wilmar International Limited. Milling facilities involved include those in Serang, Banten; Mojokerto, East Java; and in West Java.

“Then the mills belonging to Bulog, located in Karawang and another one in Subang, are used,” he said. “So, in our view, this is a super premium rice that Bulog has produced. Historically, Bulog’s premium rice has been characterized by about 15 percent broken grains.”

In the same ceremony, Agriculture Minister and Head of Bapanas Andi Amran Sulaiman said the exports come at a timely moment because the Government’s Rice Stock Reserve (CBP) stands at 3.7 million tonnes. He noted that the potential exports to Saudi Arabia could reach between 20,000 and 50,000 tonnes, given the considerable number of haj pilgrims and Indonesians residing there. “For haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, the estimate is between 20,000 and 50,000 tonnes. And then there will be further shipments to other countries,” Amran concluded.