KBRN, Jakarta: The Indonesian government has officially finalized the 2026 National Food Commodity Balance, prioritizing the stability of the manufacturing sector through the allocation of 3.12 million tons of industrial raw sugar imports. 

This strategic move aims to provide absolute supply certainty for the nation’s food and beverage giants while maintaining a strict "zero-import" policy for household consumption to protect local farmers.

The decision was reached during a high-level coordination meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, led by the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs. Tatang Yuliono, the Ministry’s Deputy for Food Trade and Distribution Coordination, clarified that while the industrial tap is open to support production, the domestic consumption market remains off-limits to foreign supplies. 

“For consumption, we have no imports,” Tatang confirmed, as quoted by Antara, reinforcing the government’s commitment to meeting public needs through domestic output.

The comprehensive 2026 balance sheet extends beyond sugar to ensure a steady flow of raw materials for various manufacturing arms. In addition to the primary industrial sugar quota, the government approved 508,360 tons of sugar under the Ease of Import for Export Purpose (KITE) scheme.

The meat industry also received a significant allocation, with 17,090 tons of industrial-grade meat approved as part of a broader 297,090-ton total framework discussed during the session. 

Furthermore, the fisheries sector saw the establishment of a 23,570-ton quota for industrial raw materials, alongside an additional 29,220 tons for specific fishery commodities managed by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.

Tatang emphasized that these figures were not arbitrary but were derived from a rigorous verification process. The quotas are based on direct proposals from business actors, which are then scrutinized by technical ministries and agencies before reaching the ministerial level for a final verdict. 

“Everything we decided today is a proposal from business actors then verified by relevant technical ministries/agencies,” Tatang explained, highlighting the collaborative nature of the trade policy.

Providing further technical clarity, Putu Juli Ardika, Acting Director General of Agro-Industry at the Ministry of Industry, noted that the bulk of the imported sugar would arrive in its unrefined state to be processed locally. “Almost 98 percent is in the form of raw sugar,” Putu remarked. 

This policy underscores Jakarta's delicate balancing act: empowering the industrial sector to drive economic growth while shielding the domestic agricultural market from global competition. ***