Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has announced plans to export 2,280 tons of premium rice to Saudi Arabia to meet the consumption needs of around 200,000 Indonesian pilgrims during the 2026 Hajj season. The policy was finalized during a coordination meeting chaired by Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan in Jakarta. Hasan emphasized that the exports will begin this year and assured that domestic supply and price stability will not be affected. “We will work hard to ensure that our Hajj pilgrims receive rice from Indonesia. We fully support this decision,” Hasan said after the meeting. Officials highlighted that the initiative aims not only to provide familiar food for pilgrims but also to showcase Indonesia’s agricultural products internationally. President Director of the state-owned logistics company Bulog Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani confirmed preparations are underway to ship the rice according to requests from kitchen managers in Saudi Arabia. The first shipment of 2,280 tons is scheduled for late February, with an additional 3,000 tons on standby to meet extra demand. The rice meets international quality standards, with specifications including a maximum broken grain rate of 5 percent and moisture content below 14 percent. It is processed using modern milling technology to ensure freshness and consistency. Ramdhani noted that Saudi authorities have responded positively to the plan, given Indonesia’s status as the largest source of Hajj pilgrims each year.Import permit coordination is currently being handled through the trade ministries of both countries. The government views this initiative as a first step toward expanding value-added food exports. While the initial shipments will operate under a business-to-business scheme, officials are considering more permanent arrangements in the future.