Indonesia will import at least 1,000 tons of rice from the United States under a bilateral trade agreement, despite President Prabowo Subianto’s strong opposition to rice imports and his administration’s claim of national self-sufficiency
Prabowo has repeatedly touted his government’s success in achieving rice self-sufficiency, banning standard-grade rice imports and cracking down on businesses suspected of secretly bringing foreign rice into the country.
However, Indonesia and its economic team were unable to avoid an import clause in a reciprocal trade agreement with the United States that obliges Jakarta to purchase a minimum of 1,000 tons of American rice. The provision is part of a broader commitment to import $4.5 billion worth of US food products, including rice, under the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade.
“Our commitment to import US rice is only 1,000 tons, which is extremely insignificant — just around 0.00003% of total national rice production of 34.69 million tons in 2025,” Haryo Limanseto, spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, said in a statement on Sunday.
Haryo added that easing import permits for US agricultural products would help domestic businesses secure raw materials more efficiently and maintain production flows, ultimately supporting national food security. Beyond rice, the agreement also covers wheat, soybeans, corn, and fresh fruit.
The bilateral pact also includes a safeguard clause stating that if annual import volumes of US agricultural commodities fall short of agreed targets — and Washington determines Indonesia has made no effort to restrict US imports — the United States will not deem Jakarta to be in breach of its commitments.
In return for opening its import channels, Indonesia secured 0% tariffs on 172 Indonesian food commodities entering the US market. These include flagship exports such as tropical fruits — bananas, pineapples, mangoes, and durian — as well as coffee, tea, and spices. Zero tariffs also apply to strategic products including crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, cocoa, and processed cassava and sago.
Earlier this week, Prabowo traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet Donald Trump and witness the signing of the reciprocal trade agreement.
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