PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya (FSTJ) launched the first export of rice under the FS Yasamin brand to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the future, they will be eyeing the markets of other Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Iran.

Our target this year is one month four containers can enter the Middle East

PT FSTJ President Director Pamrihadi Wiraryo said rice as one of the staple foods of the Middle Eastern community is a potential market for his side to take seriously. He hoped that the Middle East Market could receive products with the FS Yasamin brand well

"The number of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia in Saudi Arabia is very large. Like during the Hajj season, our congregational quota reaches 200,000," he expressed, Friday (5/20).

The number does not include descendants and workers from Indonesia who live in the Middle East region. Predictably, the number of descendants and workers from Indonesia living in Saudi Arabia reached more than 100,000 people. He believed that they would prefer rice from their country of origin for daily consumption. Therefore, last year, he was targeting to routinely export up to four containers per month with each shipment of one container containing 20 to 23 tons of rice.

According to him, his confidence was strengthened by market readings carried out by his partner in Saudi Arabia, Al Raqeeb Universal Group. As a partner company that buys and distributes its products in Saudi Arabia, they stated that PT FSTJ's products had been awaited by the market.

If all went according to target, the business effect would also affect the 40,000 farmers in West Java, East Java, Lampung, and Sulawesi. By the end of this year, he is targeting to develop up to 7,500 hectares of agricultural land.

"Our target this year is one month four containers can enter the Middle East," he continued.

In terms of business, he was working with Al Raqeeb Universal Group as a partner company that buys and distributes its products in Saudi Arabia.

"Hope our product can touch the Saudi Arabian market competing with rice from Thailand and Vietnam," he stressed.

He added that FS Yasamin's rice product in five-kilogram packages is economically equivalent to Rp 15,000/kg. From a total of 19 tons of rice exported for the first time, the economic value reached Rp 285 million. The cooperation plan with Al Raqeeb Universal Group has been initiated in 2021. To propose licensing and access to shipping, he got assistance from the Indonesian embassy in Riyadh.

"Our rice is IR 64 variety from land in Indramayu which also meets the halal requirements according to the rules of the two countries," he closed.