Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia has secured naphtha supplies from India, Africa, and the United States to mitigate disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict, an official confirmed on Thursday.“We have secured supplies from Africa, India, and the United States. The process is ongoing,” Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Maman Abdurrahman said at a press conference on Thursday. He explained that the Trade Ministry is taking follow-up measures to ensure the availability of naphtha, a key raw material for plastic production. Beyond short-term supply stabilization, the government is preparing long-term strategies to reduce reliance on naphtha. These include diversifying raw materials toward more sustainable alternatives such as seaweed and cassava. Scientists have identified seaweed as a potential substitute for plastic bags, though production costs remain high due to limited market reach. To address this, Abdurrahman said the government is working with MSMEs producing seaweed-based plastic bags to expand industrial-scale capacity and lower costs. Domestic plastic product prices have surged by 30 to 80 percent amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, despite a recently reached ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The conflict has led to a blockade of the Hormuz Strait, disrupting shipments of commodities including naphtha and driving up global crude oil prices. According to Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), Saudi Arabia and Oman are among the largest suppliers of naphtha, providing 3.6 million tons and 2.7 million tons annually, respectively. Nearly 4 million tons of naphtha are shipped through the Hormuz Strait to Asia each month.