Jakarta. The Indonesian government said Monday it will send officials to China to inspect imported food trays used in its flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, following public concerns that the products may contain pork-derived materials.

The National Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) and the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) will jointly conduct the verification to ensure halal compliance.

“We don’t want to respond to rumors or hoaxes without clear evidence. That’s why we will directly observe and audit everything at the production site,” BPJPH head Haikal Hasan told reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding with BGN in Jakarta. He said the inspection mission is expected to depart for China this week.

BGN chief Dadan Hindayana confirmed the trays currently in circulation are imported from China due to limited domestic capacity. From September to December 2025, Indonesian manufacturers can only supply around 10 million trays, far short of the 70 million needed for the MBG program.

“To keep the program running, the Trade Ministry has coordinated the import mechanism,” Dadan said, stressing that procurement so far has been carried out by private partners rather than BGN itself and has not involved state budget funds.

Dadan added that future government-funded procurement, particularly for remote and underdeveloped regions, would prioritize local production. He also underlined that all trays and food items under the program must meet health, safety, and religious standards, including halal certification from BPJPH, hygiene approval from the Food and Drug Agency (BPOM), and Indonesian National Standards (SNI) from the Industry Ministry.

The government reiterated that every product in the MBG program, from containers to meals and beverages, must be halal-certified. The joint MoU between BPJPH and BGN signed Monday is aimed at strengthening oversight and reassuring the public, particularly in Muslim-majority areas.

Halal assurance is mandatory for local program operators, known as SPPG. If beneficiaries include Muslims, the SPPG must be halal-certified, Dadan said. Even in predominantly non-Muslim areas, he added, cultural sensitivities must be considered.

He pointed to past experiences, such as in West Halmahera, where even program staff were required to undergo halal certification training to maintain public trust.

The MBG initiative, launched earlier this year under President Prabowo Subianto, aims to provide free nutritious meals to schoolchildren and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers. The government allocated Rp 71 trillion for the program in 2025 and has set aside an additional Rp 100 trillion in reserves. At the start of the year, the program targeted 17.9 million people, including 15.5 million schoolchildren and 2.4 million pregnant or breastfeeding women and toddlers. The government expects to reach more than 80 beneficiaries next year.