National Food Agency ensures revocation of distribution permits for non-compliant fortified rice
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Head of the National Food Agency (Bominas), who also serves as the Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman, has ensured that distribution permits for fortified rice that do not meet requirements will be revoked and processed according to applicable regulations.
“As the Head of Bapanas, I have instructed the Secretary Utama and the Deputy to revoke the permits. Order it downwards. That is my authority. Revoke the permits and prohibit distribution, because this is based on laboratory results,” Amran stated in a confirmed briefing in Jakarta on Saturday.
He emphasised this action following findings during the monitoring and laboratory testing of fortified rice and rice with nutritional claims that failed to meet established standards. Amran immediately followed up on these findings by instructing Bapanas officials to proceed with the revocation of distribution permits for rice brands proven to be non-compliant.
The discrepancies were identified during inspections conducted in April 2026 in the Jakarta area, involving 15 samples consisting of 3 fortified rice samples and 12 rice samples with nutritional claims.
Fortified rice must meet government-mandated nutritional requirements, including Vitamin B1, folic acid, B12, iron, and zinc. Laboratory results showed that of the 12 samples with nutritional claims, only three met the requirements, while nine failed. Additionally, three samples failed to include nutritional information regarding the percentage of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) on their packaging.
“Today, the Secretary Utama is directly writing to the Food Task Force. Next, I will write directly to the Chief of the National Police. This is a long process, and I will pursue it. I am prepared to risk everything for the sake of farmers and the Indonesian people,” Amran added.
Producers of fortified rice in Indonesia must obtain a Fresh Plant-Based Food (PSAT) distribution permit, which is managed by Bapanas alongside the Regional Competent Food Safety Authority (OKKPD). Fortified rice is polished rice supplemented with fortified rice kernels to achieve specific nutritional compositions. It must comply with the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) 9372:2025.
This standard stipulates that per 100 grams of fortified rice, it must contain a minimum of 0.25 mg of Vitamin B1, 0.25 to 0.38 mg of folic acid, 1.0 to 1.5 mcg of Vitamin B12, 3.50 to 5.25 mg of iron, and 3.0 to 4.5 mg of zinc.
Previously, in April, Bapanas conducted monitoring in Jakarta and discovered that the prices of fortified rice significantly exceeded the maximum retail price (HET) for premium rice. Some products were also found to only list two types of nutrients on their labels.
“Now, regarding those that do not match the lab results—imagine, it is even more extreme; the average price is Rp22,000 per kilo, but some are being sold for up to Rp42,000 per kilo. Does that make sense? These are just the samples we took; the estimated consumer loss could reach up to Rp71 trillion,” Amran explained.
One sample was found to be priced at up to Rp42,500 per kilogram (kg). However, laboratory tests showed that one nutritional parameter did not match the RDA percentage stated on the packaging. The 15 samples subject to Bapanas supervision originated from 9 producers across 15 different brands.
“This is a new chapter. But this is still temporary. We will re-check. They have not learned their lesson, which is why we are checking directly. This was also prompted by public complaints,” Amran clarified.
Consequently, Bapanas plans to conduct wider-scale monitoring, targeting 40 brands of fortified or nutritionally claimed rice across 11 provinces. The agency aims to collect at least 200 samples in collaboration with accredited laboratories.