Amran expands probe into alleged fortified rice racket

Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman is expanding oversight of alleged misuse of fortified rice labels with the National Food Agency, the National Police Food Task Force, local governments and law enforcement. In Jakarta, Amran said fortified rice intended for low-income households and children at risk of stunting was being sold for as much as Rp42.000 per kilogram, far above the medium-rice range. He estimated potential losses to the public at Rp71 trillion and possible state losses from food subsidies at around Rp56 trillion. In earlier monitoring, 15 brands were inspected and about 80 percent of samples failed to meet standards. The government is now tracing nutrition content, legality, quality, labeling and the reasonableness of selling prices from upstream to downstream.