Ministry of Trade to safeguard the smooth export of ready-to-eat food products for Hajj

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Trade (Kemendag), through the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Riyadh, reaffirmed its commitment to continuously oversee the smooth export of ready-to-eat food products to Saudi Arabia during the 1447 Hijri Hajj season. In a statement from Jakarta on Friday, the Indonesian Trade Attaché in Riyadh, Zulvri Yenni, said Kemendag has facilitated the export barriers faced by PT Halalan Thayyiban Indonesia (PT HATI) exporters in delivering nearly 360,000 portions of ready-to-eat meals for pilgrims in the Holy Sites. ‘This step is important to ensure the food supply for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims during the Hajj pilgrimage,’ Zulvri said. Zulvri noted that the strategy pursued is to expedite the issuance of the Certificate of Origin Form B in Indonesia, shorten the duration of sample testing by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), and accelerate customs clearance in Saudi Arabia. The exported products include nasi sapi lada hitam (black pepper beef rice), nasi daging balado (spiced beef rice), nasi gulai ayam (chicken curry rice), nasi opor ayam (chicken curry rice), nasi semur ayam (braised chicken rice), semur daging (beef stew), rendang daging (beef rendang), and daging balado (spiced beef) which have halal certification from the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) and health certificates from the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM). The products have entered the inspection and goods checking stage at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. According to Zulvri, the demand for ready-to-eat meals for Indonesian Hajj pilgrims is high each year; as the number of Indonesian pilgrims grows, so does the demand for ready-to-eat meals, with at least 1 million portions required. This condition also requires smooth distribution and supply certainty. ’The Kemendag facilitation in overseeing the smooth export of ready-to-eat meals is also an effort to strengthen the penetration of Indonesian halal and processed foods into the Saudi market. This commitment will continue for the next Hajj year, he added. Currently there are around 180 types of ready-to-eat meals from Indonesia that exporters and importers can choose for the needs of the Hajj pilgrims. All products must be accompanied by halal certificates and health certificates, and emphasise the distinctive flavours of Indonesian cuisine to keep pilgrims comfortable and healthy while in the Holy Sites.