Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia’s Agriculture Ministry has revealed the results of a recent investigation into fraudulent activities in the rice trade, estimating consumer losses at approximately 99.35 trillion IDR (around 6 billion USD) due to manipulation of quality and prices during distribution.
Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman announced in Jakarta that suspicions arose despite the country’s current rice production reaching a 57-year high, with inventories totaling 4.15 million tonnes. Investigators inspected markets across ten provinces, examining samples for quality, weight, and compliance with price ceilings. They uncovered extensive violations, including non-compliance with weight and premium pricing regulations.
Following the findings, the Agriculture Ministry worked with the National Food Agency, Food Task Force, Attorney General’s Office, and national police. Of 136 premium rice samples tested, 85.6% failed quality standards, 59.8% exceeded the maximum retail price (HET), and 21.7% were underweight. For 76 mid-tier rice brands, 88.2% fell short on quality, 95.1% violated HET, and 9.4% were underweight. Testing involved 13 laboratories across ten provinces, with samples collected between June 6–23 at 268 locations, including major rice markets like Jakarta’s Cipinang and others in key regions.
Minister Sulaiman issued a 14-day deadline for businesses to rectify practices. He cautioned that failure to comply would prompt strict enforcement measures.
The minister called on businesses to take immediate corrective measures, urging them to stop overpricing and review their product labeling. He noted that authorities would intervene if standards were not met within two weeks./.
