TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Coordinator Minister for Food Affairs, Zulkifi Hasan, said Indonesia is planning to import specialty rice from the U.S., adding that it would not be intended for daily consumption.
Indonesia's commitment to import 1,000 tons of rice is part of the reciprocal trade deal with Washington signed on February 19, 2026. "The agreed 1,000 tons of rice is limited to specialty rice," said Zulkifli Hasan at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday, March 2, 2026.
According to the chair of the National Mandate Party or PAN, the imported rice will not be widely distributed in the domestic market. "This is specialty rice; for instance, varieties for those with high blood sugar. It is clearly not the rice used for our general consumption," he said.
The imported rice also includes the Japanese rice commonly served in the restaurant. According to the minister, this rice differs from the regular rice for Indonesian households due to its relatively high prices and particularly niche market.
“It’s expensive, over Rp100,000 per kilogram, right? Who would want to buy it? The ones buying it are only those eating at Japanese restaurants,” he said.
Indonesia is obligated to import agricultural products from the United States worth US$4.5 billion, as part of the agreement on reciprocal trade (ART). This obligation is listed in the fourth annex of the ART document titled "Purchase Commitments" for the agricultural product category.
Under point two, Indonesia is required to boost the import of agricultural products from the U.S., such as beef, rice, corn, soybeans, wheat, ethanol, and fresh fruits. Subsection (i) of the point emphasizes, "Indonesia shall ensure that Indonesia’s imports of rice of U.S. origin exceed 1,000 metric tons annually."
The commitment to import 1,000 tons of rice has raised concerns since the Indonesian government made claims of surplus in rice production, raising doubts about the need for imports.
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