TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman disclosed Malaysia's interest in importing rice from Indonesia due to elevated rice prices in the neighboring nation. He shared this following a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu at his Jakarta office on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
"[The meeting with Malaysia] was insightful, with them inquiring about the feasibility of importing rice from Indonesia. However, I said that, for the present time, our priority is to maintain our national rice stock," said Amran, as reported by Antara.
Malaysia's demand for rice is quite high. Nevertheless, their current domestic production only satisfies approximately 40 to 50 percent of their total consumption needs.
In addition to Malaysia, Amran mentioned a planned visit from a delegation representing Japan. While he did not elaborate on the specific agenda, he noted the continuous increase in rice prices in Japan, which have reportedly reached nearly Rp100,000 per kilogram.
Furthermore, Amran said that the national rice stock as of today stands at 3.36 million tons. He projected that this stock could reach 4 million tons by May.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad Bin Sabu acknowledged Indonesia's advanced agricultural technology, particularly in enhancing rice harvest yields.
"I recall yields reaching up to 12 tons, with 13 tons being the highest, and the average already at 7 tons," he stated.
He further stated that discussions regarding the potential for rice imports would take place. Although immediate rice imports from Indonesia might not be feasible, the Malaysian Agriculture and Food Security Minister recognized the existing imports of other commodities from Indonesia, such as coconuts, vegetables, and fish.
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