Indonesia Addresses Radioactive Contamination Concerns Amid US Trade Negotiations

Export Products Affected by Radioactive Materials

Some Indonesian export products, including shrimp, cloves, and footwear, have been found to be contaminated with radioactive Cesium-137 (CS-137). Several shipments have been returned to Indonesia due to this issue. Despite these concerns, Indonesia is continuing negotiations with the United States regarding reciprocal tariffs.

Government Assurance on Ongoing Negotiations

Edi Prio Pambudi, Deputy for Economic Cooperation and Investment at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, stated that the radioactive contamination issue is not expected to disrupt the ongoing tariff negotiations with the US. He emphasized that while there are concerns about contamination, the US does not assume all Indonesian products are affected ¹

US FDA Approval of Indonesian Laboratories

In a positive development, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four Indonesian laboratories to conduct Cesium-137 testing on shrimp exports. This approval is crucial as the US has mandated that Indonesian shrimp exports must be accompanied by a certificate confirming they are free from Cs-137 contamination, effective from October 31, 2025 ²

Impact on Indonesian Exports

The new FDA requirement follows the implementation of Import Alert #99-52, which necessitates additional documentation for shrimp exports from Indonesia, particularly from Java and Lampung. The approved laboratories are now authorized to issue the required certification, potentially easing the compliance burden on Indonesian exporters.