December 3, 2025 | 12:05 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan says the United States has restored its confidence in Indonesian shrimp products, as reflected in rising market demand after the government confirmed that exported shrimp are free from Cesium-137 contamination.
“This shows that we are capable. When a problem emerges, we resolve it quickly,” he said during an event marking the shipment of 128 tons of shrimp from Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
The United States remains Indonesia’s largest market for shrimp, with the export value reaching around US$1 billion per year. The total US shrimp market is estimated at more than US$6 billion, while the global shrimp industry exceeds US$24 billion.
Zulkifli said the improved market performance demonstrates Indonesia’s ability to meet international standards while strengthening its quality assurance system across the supply chain. He underscored the need for consistent quality controls and trade diplomacy to maintain export access.
He added that the success in securing Cesium-137-free certification was not only due to technical oversight but also the result of diplomatic coordination between the Indonesian government, US authorities, and the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten).
“This is not only about quality, but also export diplomacy. Trust in global markets does not appear overnight,” he said.
Zulkifli admitted he was initially surprised by the radiation detection, as Indonesia does not operate nuclear facilities. He cited a similar case involving clove exports from Lampung that were found to be contaminated despite coming from regular agricultural land.
“The clove field that was inspected is even located near my house, and there were suspicions of airborne exposure,” he said.
The government later identified a company that had imported contaminated raw materials on four occasions. All affected products were ordered to be returned, and the company has since been temporarily shut down.
Indonesia has resumed shrimp exports to the United States after obtaining radiation-free certification. In the latest shipment, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) exported 182 tons of shrimp valued at around Rp25 billion.
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said this is the second shipment since Indonesia confirmed that its shrimp meet international radiation safety standards.
He credited the certification to cooperation between the KKP, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), and Bapeten.
He expressed hope that testing and certification would continue to improve so Indonesian seafood can remain globally competitive.
“We believe not only shrimp, but other commodities must also be safeguarded to maintain their competitiveness,” he said.
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