Indomie Producers Ready to Make Noodles Made from Sorghum

TheIndonesia.id - Director of PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk (INDF) Fransiscus Welirang said his company was ready to develop instant noodles made from local food commodities, namely sorghum to replace wheat imported from abroad. The legendary instant noodle producer Indomie has spoken with the Indonesian Minister of Agriculture Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) about it.

"We and the Minister of Agriculture SYL discussed many things, but the point is how we can develop local raw materials such as sorghum. So, later there will be a program for developing sorghum plants together," Welirang said in a statement received in Jakarta, Saturday, August 13 , 2022.

Welirang said Indofood fully supports the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture in anticipating the global food crisis by seeking alternative local raw materials such as sorghum. According to him, sorghum is a native plant of Indonesia that can be used for various national food needs.

According to him, the development of sorghum plays an important role in substituting wheat flour made from wheat which is still dependent on imports. In 2021, Indonesia's wheat imports will be recorded at 11.69 million tons.

Welirang said Indofood is ready to process sorghum commodities, while the government through the Ministry of Agriculture is expected to increase the national sorghum production capacity. "Agriculture is in the field of cultivation, and we are in the field of processing. Moreover, this flour product will continue to develop, there will be new products that will develop. What is certain is the initiation from the Ministry of Agriculture," he said.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency, the Indonesian population's wheat consumption in 2019 was 30.5 kg per capita per year. The biggest need for wheat is for the processed food product industry such as instant noodles, cakes, and bread.

The Head of Public Relations and Public Information Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, Kuntoro Boga Andri, said that the government has an obligation to remind the public and also food industry players about the potential for food crises. He assessed that the world's food conditions are under pressure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, and the Ukraine-Russia war that threatens to lead to a global food crisis.

“One of the efforts made by the government is to substitute the need for imported food with local raw materials. For the needs of the flour-based processed food industry, the government has begun to promote the cultivation of sorghum, cassava and sago which can substitute for wheat. The Ministry of Agriculture also strengthens and provides alternative local food, from tubers, bananas and various other local plant products,” said Kuntoro.