Making History as the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Exports 2,280 Tonnes of Nusantara Rice to Saudi Arabia

Jakarta — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has made history with the inaugural export of Nusantara rice totaling 2,280 tonnes to Saudi Arabia to meet the consumption needs of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims in 2026. The export was carried out by Perum Bulog as the technical implementer, based on the decision of the Limited Coordination Meeting (Rakortas) at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs and the decision of the National Food Agency (Bapanas). “This is a breakthrough after years of waiting for Indonesian rice to be used for the consumption of Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia,” said Jaenal Effendi, Director General of the Development of the Hajj and Umrah Economic Ecosystem (PE2HU) at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in a press statement on Thursday, 5 March 2026. “The export volume is adjusted to the number of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims this year which is around 205,420, including regular pilgrims and officials,” Jaenal added. Meanwhile, Bulog’s President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani said that the rice exported is new harvest from West Java and Central Java. The processing was carried out at four facilities, namely the Wilmar plants in Serang and Mojokerto, as well as Bulog’s plants in Karawang and Subang. In March 2026, national rice stock stood at 3.7 million tonnes, the highest on record for the same period. The shipment is planned via three shipping routes, namely Hyundai, Wan Hai, and Kota Sejati, with departure estimated for 7 March 2026 and destination Jeddah port. The government ensures the shipment will be conducted with regard to regional geopolitical conditions and logistics security. The rice export for pilgrims is expected to serve as a model of integrating Hajj services and strengthening national products and open opportunities for commercial exports in the future.