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JAKARTA - Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman assessed that the difference in the price of world rice and the domestic market makes Indonesia a target for smuggling, even though the government has stated that it will no longer import rice since 2025.

According to Antara, Amran conveyed this when explaining the impact of the entry of illegal rice on the food trade and farmers in a press conference on the crackdown on illegal imports of rice, salt, and used clothing in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 22.

Amran said Indonesia's position was changing rapidly. In 2023 and 2024, Indonesia is still one of the largest rice importers with a total import of around 7 million tons. However, the government stated that it did not import rice in 2025 and achieved self-sufficiency.

"Alhamdulillah 2025 there is no import. Under the leadership of President Prabowo, we are asked to be self-sufficient in four years, but we achieve it in one year," said Amran.

Data from the Central Statistics Agency shows that Indonesian rice imports reached 3.06 million tons in 2023 and around 4.52 million tons in 2024. In total, it is around 7.58 million tons in two years.

Amran then associated the change in Indonesia's position with the movement of international rice prices.

He said exporting countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Pakistan also felt the pressure after import demand from Indonesia decreased.

"Because there is no import, of course, the world's rice exporting countries, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, and others, the farmers are depressed," he said.

The statement is Amran's assessment. In the exposure of the Ministry of Agriculture which lists the World Bank as a source, the reference price of Thai White Rice five percent fell 44.2 percent from January 2024 to November 2025.

The price of rice was recorded at 660 US dollars or around Rp11.79 million per metric ton in January 2024, then dropped to 368 US dollars or around Rp6.57 million per metric ton in November 2025.

"The world rice price is 660 US dollars per ton, suddenly it fell, this we memorized the number, 368 US dollars per ton," said Amran.

According to Amran, the price difference makes the Indonesian market still attractive for actors who try to enter rice illegally.

"So Indonesia is the target because it is the largest market but suddenly it is self-sufficient," he said.

Amran gave an illustration that if 1 million tons of rice were smuggled into Indonesia. Based on his calculations, the profits that perpetrators can earn reach around Rp5 trillion to Rp6 trillion.

"If you smuggle 1 million tons, let's say, it's Rp5 trillion-Rp6 trillion in profit. That's very tempting," he said.

The press conference was held after the Customs carried out four actions throughout August-September 2026 in the waters of the Malacca Strait, Tanjung Perak Port, the bonded area in Bogor, and Tanjung Priok Port.

From the series of actions, the Customs and Excise Service secured 30 containers containing rice and salt that did not comply with customs notifications and about 1,435 bales of suspected used clothes.

The total value of the goods that were taken into action is estimated to reach Rp. 27.34 billion.

Finance Minister Suahasil Nazara said import supervision would be strengthened through the integrity of officers, the use of technology, and improvements to the customs process.

"The person must have integrity," said Suahasil.

According to Suahasil, technologies such as X-ray scanners, warning systems, container selection, and intelligence activities are needed to strengthen surveillance without hindering the flow of legal goods.

Source : voi