October 14, 2025 | 01:29 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency (BGN) clarified that the milk used in Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program has not yet been sourced entirely from local producers, citing scientific considerations and the government’s long-term national strategy.
Epi Taufik, a member of BGN’s Dairy Expert Team, said that the country’s domestic fresh milk production remains far below national demand.
“Before the MBG program, Indonesia’s milk consumption reached around 4.7 million tons per year. With MBG in place, demand has risen to over 8 million tons, while local production is only about one million tons annually,” Epi said in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
“If we insisted on using 100 percent local milk, national stocks would be depleted immediately.”
To balance nutritional needs and production capacity, the government has set an initial target for the MBG milk formula to contain at least 20 percent locally sourced fresh milk. The share of local content is expected to gradually increase in line with the growth of domestic production.
Epi emphasized that despite not being fully locally sourced, the quality of milk provided through the MBG program matches that of fresh milk. Its formulation follows the nutritional standards for full-cream liquid milk as stipulated under the National Food and Drug Agency (BPOM) Regulation No. 13 of 2023.
“The milk given to children still provides optimal nutritional benefits, with equivalent levels of protein, calcium, and vitamin D,” he said. “Children will continue to receive the energy and nutrients they need to grow and learn.”
Meanwhile, BGN’s Head of Legal and Public Relations Bureau, Khairul Hidayati, said the MBG initiative also opens up new opportunities for the domestic dairy industry.
She noted that the government’s steady demand offers assurance to local dairy farmers, who have long struggled to find consistent markets for their milk.
“This is not just about the percentage now, but about how we start,” Khairul, who is often called Hida, said.
“MBG creates a strong domestic market for local milk. As farmers expand and modernize, the local content will naturally increase.”
Hida added that BGN has prepared a national roadmap for boosting milk production from 2025 to 2029. The plan includes expanding dairy cattle populations, modernizing small-scale farms, and strengthening cooperation between milk-producing regions.
“MBG is not only about feeding children. It’s about building a resilient national food system,” she said.
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