Ministry of Hajj Oversees Maiden Export of Spices and RTE Meals for 2026 Hajj Logistics

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj), through the Directorate General for the Development of the Hajj and Umrah Economic Ecosystem (Ditjen PE2HU), has overseen the release of the maiden export of spice paste and ready-to-eat (RTE) meals for the 2026 Hajj logistics requirements. The initial shipment took place from the Lini Garuda Warehouse at Soekarno-Hatta Airport on Thursday (2/4), with a total of 100 tons of logistics to be sent in stages to Saudi Arabia. The release process involved support from PT Pos Indonesia and Garuda Indonesia, ensuring an integrated supply chain and smooth air distribution. The Director General of PE2HU, Jaenal Effendi, emphasised that Kemenhaj is actively overseeing the entire distribution process to meet the established standards. “As the overseer of distribution, Kemenhaj ensures that all Hajj logistics processes meet halal, health, product durability, and timely delivery standards, so that the consumption needs of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims are well fulfilled,” said Jaenal. The logistics shipment is scheduled via several flights from 2 to 6 April 2026. The total requirement from two vendors reaches 230 tons, with the remaining 130 tons still in the flight scheduling process. Jaenal added that this export of spice paste and RTE not only fulfils the consumption needs of pilgrims but also serves as a trial run and capacity building for the domestic industry. “This is simultaneously a test run and capacity building, ensuring that Indonesian products can meet Saudi standards, reducing import dependency, and creating cost efficiencies,” he added. Kemenhaj affirmed that overseeing this logistics distribution is part of the government’s commitment to providing the best services for Hajj pilgrims, while also promoting self-reliance and efficiency in Indonesia’s Hajj logistics system.