The Indonesian Quarantine Agency (Barantin) has made the revitalization of testing laboratories its priority program for the next five years under the Red and White Cabinet.
In general, the quality of laboratories testing plants, fish, and animals entering Indonesia is very good, Head of the Barantin Legal and Public Relations Bureau Hudiansyah Nursal said at Tanjung Priok Port here Tuesday.
The number of large laboratories spread across Indonesia that are globally recognized and have received reliability certificates from export-import destination countries in Europe, America, and Asia-Pacific is proof of this, he added.
One of those laboratories is the Agricultural Standards Test Center in Cibubur, East Jakarta.
According to Nursal, the test center in Cibubur has served as a reference for the testing of plants, fish, and animal commodities for import and export.
"However, the capability of the laboratory must be increased because the flow of goods in and out of the country is increasing," he said.
He pointed out that the increase in the volume of goods flowing in and out of the country can be seen by the number of commodity assurance certificates issued by Barantin, which increased 10–20 percent last year.
For instance, he said, the Jakarta Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Center (BBKHIT) issued 15 thousand certificates for plants, fish, and animal commodities in the period from mid-January to October 2024.
The number increased from 12 thousand certificates in the same previous period.
"This is why laboratories become our priority, along with the (cooperation) with related ministries/agencies for the next five years," Nursal added.
Editor : Vicki Febrianto
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