TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Director of state logistics agency Bulog, Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, has assured that the export price of Indonesian rice destined for Malaysia will be set above the domestic maximum retail price (HET).
Speaking after attending an animal sacrifice event in Jakarta on Friday, May 29, 2026, Rizal noted that the export pricing structure follows the explicit directives of President Prabowo Subianto to ensure that the shipments directly benefit local farmers and boost state revenue.
"Because in line with the President's (Prabowo Subianto) directives yesterday, our export prices must be highly profitable for the farmers, as well as for our nation and state," Rizal said, as quoted by Antara on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
According to him, the final export price of Indonesian rice to Malaysia has the potential to climb higher than previous opening offers from Kuala Lumpur, which hovered around Rp16,000 per kilogram.
"Yes, God willing, it will be along those lines (an export price above Rp16,000 per kilogram)," he stated.
Rizal mentioned that Bulog, alongside a joint team from the Ministry of Agriculture, plans to visit Sarawak, Malaysia, shortly after the Eid al-Adha 1447 Hijri holiday period to discuss the rice export plan.
According to him, the working visit is aimed at ensuring the exact export volumes while negotiating the most favorable price composition and trade schemes for both nations.
"The plan after Eid al-Adha, in the very near future, is to head to Sarawak, God willing, with a Ministry of Agriculture team to finalize the volumes and the fixed price," he said.
In addition, the technical talks will also map out the logistical mechanisms of the shipment, determining whether the process will utilize a port-to-port scheme or a direct purchase arrangement at the Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta.
Rizal said that the final decision regarding the shipping mechanics would be thoroughly discussed with Malaysian authorities to ensure the export process runs smoothly and yields optimal benefits for both countries.
"[We will see] after the discussions over there (in Malaysia). Whether it will be port-to-port or if they will buy directly at the Priok Port," he noted.
However, he pointed out that Bulog will continue internal consultations with its leadership hierarchy, particularly the marketing director, as well as Agriculture Minister and Head of the National Food Agency Andi Amran Sulaiman, to determine the ideal baseline price before official exports commence. "This is to secure the best guidance on how to move forward," Rizal explained.
Bulog remains optimistic that this rice export venture will reinforce Indonesia's standing in regional food trade while unlocking new avenues to elevate the value-added potential of the agricultural sector and the broader national economy.
Currently, the maximum retail price for premium rice based on the zoning regulations of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) ranges between Rp14,900 and Rp15,800 per kilogram, varying across sales territories throughout Indonesia.
Earlier, during the launch of 1,061 Merah Putih Village/Community Cooperative outlets in Nganjuk Regency, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026, President Prabowo Subianto highlighted Bulog's readiness to capitalize on global rice export opportunities.
In the middle of his address, the President spontaneously called Bulog President Director Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani to the stage. Prabowo strongly reminded him that Indonesian rice must not be sold at a low value when entering the international trade market.
Read: Indonesia Optimistic Rice Supply Will Stay Stable During El Nino
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