Indonesia Takes Firm Action Against Adulterated Rice for the Sake of Farmers and Communities
Jakarta – The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to protecting farmers and consumers from fraudulent practices in food distribution. Through swift and coordinated action, the Ministry of Agriculture, along with the National Police’s Food Task Force, is taking action against alleged adulterated rice by unscrupulous producers, harming farmers and the common people.
Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman emphasized that the state will not allow perpetrators of fraud in the food sector. He stated that 212 brands of packaged rice have been identified that do not meet standards, and legal action has been initiated by writing to the National Police Chief and coordinating directly with the Attorney General.
In his statement, Amran stated that he has investigated many parties.
“The investigation has been completed. There are 212 brands, and we have written to the National Police Chief. We have also had direct discussions with the Attorney General. Now there is a Food Task Force; we are working together,” he said.
He added that the practice of adulterated rice not only harms farmers and damages the market, but also results in enormous economic losses, amounting to nearly 100 trillion rupiah per year. The government, Amran emphasized, will not remain silent in the face of this situation.
“We thank the entrepreneurs who are starting to wake up, but don’t be cruel to the farmers. We have 287 million consumers. The rich may be safe, but the poor are on the poverty line—poor thing. We must care,” he said.
Concrete steps are also being taken by the police. The Head of the National Police Food Task Force, Brigadier General Helfi Assegaf, stated that the law enforcement process is underway intensively. He explained that the Task Force has questioned 22 witnesses regarding alleged manipulation of quality and dosage in several brands of packaged rice, and is currently conducting further investigations of 25 other brand owners.
“A total of 22 witnesses have been questioned. Starting today, investigators from the National Police Food Task Force are questioning 25 other brands of 5-kg packaged rice,” he said.
The impact of this action is already visible. Several regions have begun lowering rice prices in line with the highest retail price (HET), and product quality is slowly improving. The government hopes this measure will have a deterrent effect and restore public confidence in food distribution.*
