By: Dewi Sri Andini*
The Indonesian government has taken decisive action in response to the widespread circulation of adulterated rice, which is detrimental to the public. These cases not only violate consumer rights but also disrupt the stability of national food distribution and public trust in staple foods. In response, the government, through the Coordinating Ministry for Food, along with relevant institutions, has launched a new policy aimed at strengthening oversight, accelerating the distribution of subsidized rice, and implementing a single national standardization system.
One of the major breakthroughs launched was the elimination of the medium and premium rice classifications. This decision stemmed from a comprehensive evaluation of loopholes exploited by unscrupulous businesses to engage in adulteration. In the field, it was discovered that rice claimed to be premium was actually of the same type and quality as medium rice, but packaged in attractive sacks to artificially inflate prices. This caused consumer confusion and opened up opportunities for legal violations.
By implementing only two categories: regular rice and specialty rice, the government hopes to simplify and streamline the monitoring and distribution system. Regular rice is locally produced rice, part of the government subsidy program, and will be subject to uniform quality standards. Meanwhile, specialty rice, such as basmati, pandan wangi, glutinous rice, and japonica, will be marketed under official government permits and certifications to ensure product authenticity and quality.
The move to eliminate premium and medium labels is part of a national strategy to eliminate price and quality manipulation practices. Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, emphasized that the old system has created too many loopholes for fraud and harmed the public. Therefore, the government will no longer allow for the fraudulent labeling that certain parties have exploited to gain unilateral profits.
As a concrete effort to prevent the spread of adulterated rice, the government has also instructed the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) to accelerate the distribution of rice under the Food Supply and Price Stabilization (SPHP) program. A total of 1.3 million tons of SPHP rice will be distributed to the market by the end of December 2025. The Head of the National Food Agency, Arief Prasetyo Adi, ensured that all distributed SPHP rice will remain sold at a fixed price of Rp12,500 per kilogram. This price enforcement is being implemented to maintain public purchasing power and prevent market speculation by irresponsible business actors.
The government is not only strengthening distribution but also tightening product monitoring and identification systems at the retail level. In this regard, the National Logistics Agency (Bulog) has innovated by partnering with cooperatives owned by state institutions, such as the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), to become sales partners for SPHP rice. According to Bulog’s President Director, Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, TNI cooperatives have high integrity and are trusted not to engage in counterfeiting or adulteration. This program has been piloted in several units, such as the 328th Kostrad Battalion, and has proven effective in increasing the speed and accuracy of SPHP rice distribution.
Furthermore, to prevent misuse of empty SPHP rice sacks, Bulog will also introduce a hologram-based control system and digital identification. This effort follows the discovery of adulterated rice in the Riau region, where perpetrators purchased used SPHP sacks and filled them with cheap rice to resell at a high price. This new monitoring system is expected to close all potential loopholes that could allow for fraud.
In a broader policy, the government will include technical parameters in the national rice standardization, such as a maximum moisture content of 14% and monitoring of grain quality. This is crucial to ensure that marketed rice is not easily damaged and remains edible until it reaches consumers. This standardization will also be incorporated into amendments to the National Food Agency Regulation to ensure it has permanent and binding legal force for all rice business actors.
These strategic steps taken by the government represent a form of state protection for the people’s livelihoods, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to place food security as a national priority. Fraudulent practices in food distribution constitute an intolerable betrayal of the public interest. The government demonstrates its presence not only as a regulator but also as an active supervisor and protector in maintaining fairness and certainty in the food sector.
With the implementation of a single standardization policy and strictly monitored distribution, the public now has new expectations for transparency and fairness in the national rice system. The government is also opening up opportunities for active public participation to monitor and report any indications of violations. These efforts not only target fraudsters but also promote a healthy, equitable, and sustainable food business ecosystem.
If these steps are implemented consistently and accompanied by firm law enforcement, cases of rice adulteration can be significantly reduced. Indonesia can be more confident in building strong and dignified national food security to ensure the well-being of all its people.
*The author is an Economics and Food Journalist
