House of Representatives Member Supports Decisive Action Against Fortified Rice Violations
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Endang S Thohari, supports the government in taking decisive action against violations regarding fortified rice to protect consumers from fraudulent food distribution practices that cause harm.
According to Endang, supervision and enforcement are essential to protect the public from food products suspected of failing to meet quality standards and fortification requirements.
“I strongly support the work being carried out by the Head of Bapanas (Andi Amran Sulaiman),” Endang stated in a confirmed report from Jakarta on Thursday.
He made this statement in response to the government’s firm steps in uncovering 25 brands of fortified rice suspected of violations, as the vitamin content in the rice does not match the claims on the packaging.
“Fortified rice that has been distributed to the public is very detrimental to those in need,” he said.
He noted that the public expects fortified rice on the market to meet quality standards and provide the nutritional benefits as required. Therefore, allegations of falsification or product quality discrepancies require serious attention.
“There are several companies falsifying their quality. The public expects fortified rice to be high quality, containing vitamins and antioxidants, and to be suitable for pregnant women,” he added.
He also urged that businesses proven to have committed violations be penalised in accordance with regulations, to provide consumer protection and maintain the integrity of fortified food products in society.
“I believe it is better to issue warnings and impose immediate penalties, as this significantly harms public health,” said Endang.
“Therefore, I strongly support the need for strict supervision and spot checks on outlets selling fortified rice,” he added.
Previously, the Head of Bapanas and Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, announced on Tuesday (15/09/2026) findings regarding 25 brands of fortified rice suspected of not meeting the standards and contents listed on their labels, causing consumer losses of up to Rp89 trillion.
The 25 brands of fortified rice suspected of violations are identified by the initials: WFO, TKS, IMF, NUR, TKL, HOK, BRV, IMR, IHJ, IAK, PBK, GNB, DTR, TKR, WJK, PLK, MKY, IMC, PTK, ARP, ARN, SKM, GNM, TAR, and CMS.
The government discovered a very high price disparity. Products that should be priced in the range of approximately Rp13,000–Rp13,500 per kilogram were found being marketed at up to Rp57,000 per kilogram.
According to Amran, this price difference is highly detrimental to the public if the purchased products fail to provide the promised fortification content.