Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Indonesian government has uncovered a large-scale rice adulteration scheme involving nine tons of Stabilized Food Supply and Price (SPHP) rice and premium-grade rice in Pekanbaru, Riau Province.
The scheme was exposed after the Riau Regional Police raided a rice distributor on Jalan Sail in the Rejosari subdistrict of Tenayan Raya, Pekanbaru. Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan said the operation was part of an ongoing crackdown on food-related crimes that harm the public.
“The state has provided subsidies, but certain individuals have manipulated the system for personal gain. This is not just a commercial fraud, it’s a crime that deprives our children of access to nutritious food,” Heryawan said on Sunday (July 27), as reported by Antara.
During the raid, police seized nine tons of adulterated rice from a businessman identified by the initial R, who has been named a suspect.
According to authorities, the suspect employed two main methods. In the first, medium-quality rice was mixed with low-grade or rejected rice and repackaged as subsidized SPHP rice. In the second, he allegedly purchased cheap rice from Pelalawan Regency and rebranded it as high-end premium rice.
Police say the tampered rice was sold at prices Rp5,000 to Rp7,000 ($0.30 to $0.45) per kilogram higher than its actual value. The price gap for rice fraudulently labeled as premium could reach up to Rp9,000 per kilogram.
The suspect is being charged under multiple provisions of Indonesia’s Consumer Protection Law No. 8 of 1999, including Article 62(1) in conjunction with Articles 8(1)(e) and (f), and Article 9(1)(d) and (h). He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to Rp2 billion (around $123,000).
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Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman praised the swift action by Riau Police. “I deeply appreciate the quick work of the Riau Police. This breakthrough reflects a serious commitment to protecting the public from food fraud, in line with our national agenda,” Amran said on Sunday.
He also warned that such practices have severely undermined public trust in the government’s SPHP rice program, which is backed by state subsidies to stabilize prices and help low-income communities.
“Rice adulteration is a betrayal of public trust. The SPHP program is funded by the people to support purchasing power and control inflation,” the minister added.
Amran further revealed that authorities previously found 212 brands of adulterated rice across 10 provinces, causing estimated losses to consumers of up to Rp99.35 trillion (approximately $6.1 billion) annually.
In response, the government has intensified its oversight of rice distribution—especially rice distributed through the SPHP program nationwide.
“We will continue to work closely with the National Police Food Task Force and other law enforcement agencies to ensure no actors exploit the people’s food supply. Perpetrators must face harsh penalties to serve as a deterrent,” he said.
(Raidi/Agung)
