JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) has confirmed that there are no plans to import 1.8 million tons of milk from Vietnam to support the Free Nutritious Meals Program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto. This clarification comes amid growing concerns regarding the accuracy of recent statements about milk imports.

Moch. Arief Cahyono, the Head of the Public Relations and Information Bureau of Kementan, addressed the issue in a statement on Sunday. He emphasized that the ministry’s focus is on inviting Vietnamese investors to develop the domestic dairy industry rather than relying on imports.

“It is important to emphasize that Indonesia is not planning to import 1.8 million tons of milk from Vietnam. Instead, Kementan is facilitating investment from Vietnam to enhance the domestic dairy industry, aiming to boost national milk production,” Arief stated, seeking to dispel any misconceptions.

He further explained that the intention behind this investment is to improve local production capacities and achieve food sovereignty, in line with presidential directives. The cooperation with Vietnam will focus on building a sustainable dairy farming industry within Indonesia.

Vietnamese investors interested in expanding the dairy industry are looking to manage a 10,000-hectare site in Poso, Central Sulawesi. This facility is projected to yield up to 1.8 million tons of milk annually, which would significantly contribute to local production.

Arief emphasized that this production target is not about importing milk but rather enhancing local production capabilities through strategic investments. If successful, the domestic dairy industry is expected to meet about half of Indonesia’s current milk demand, which relies heavily on imports of around 3.7 million tons per year.