Indonesia's shrimp exports to Saudi return to normal after ban lifted

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) announced on Tuesday that shrimp exports to Saudi Arabia have returned to normal after the Kingdom lifted its suspension on imports from several Indonesian seafood processing companies, effective May 24.

BPOM Chief Taruna Ikrar said in Jakarta that the decision marks an important milestone, reflecting the restoration of Saudi Arabia's confidence in Indonesia's food safety oversight system.

"As the National Competent Authority responsible for the export of fishery products, including shrimp, as well as meat, poultry, and their processed products to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, BPOM continues to ensure compliance with food safety requirements so that Indonesian products meet the importing country's standards," he said.

Saudi Arabia had suspended shrimp imports from four Indonesian companies, UD Jinawi Luhur, PT Legong Bali Nusantara, PT Muria Bahari Indonesia, and PT Sekar Laut.

The suspension followed the issuance of Import Alert 99-52 by the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) in late October 2025 after traces of the radionuclide Cesium-137 (Cs-137) were detected in shrimp and spices originating from Indonesia.

According to BPOM, several food safety authorities, including the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), used the US FDA alert as a precautionary reference when imposing temporary restrictions on products from the same source, including Indonesian shrimp.

"The Indonesian government immediately implemented comprehensive response measures and established a Cs-137 Handling Task Force involving relevant ministries and government agencies," Ikrar said.

Through the task force, the government conducted a comprehensive investigation to identify the source of contamination, contain it at its origin, ensure the safety of the supply chain, and formulate corrective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The task force also introduced mandatory certification and radiation screening for export products to ensure compliance with the food safety requirements of importing countries.

Ikrar said the US FDA had confirmed the effectiveness of Indonesia's control measures through an on-site inspection, helping restore confidence among international trading partners.

He said Saudi Arabia's decision to lift the suspension reflects close cooperation between the Indonesian government, exporters, and Saudi authorities, while reaffirming confidence in Indonesia's food safety control system.

Ikrar added that BPOM, together with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and other relevant ministries and agencies, will continue strengthening risk-based supervision, verifying compliance with export requirements, and ensuring that exporters consistently maintain food safety standards.

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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Kuntum Khaira

Editor: Primayanti

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