Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval in Indonesia: Process, Requirements, and Practical Guide

To enter the Indonesian market as a foreign food supplier/manufacturer, your company needs to be formally vetted and approved before your products can legally enter the country. Approval is needed for both the Country of Origin and Factory (essentially). This is especially crucial for dairy (the most commonly affected category) products. 

To fulfill this requirement, you need to have a Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval from relevant government authorities depending on the product. For example, you need to obtain approval from the Ministry of Agriculture to import meat/seafood first, then go through BPOM for food supplements, processed foods, and pharmaceuticals. 

Realistically, however, this approval takes 1-2 years. Companies that try to navigate this on their own, without local expertise, often find themselves at the back of the queue (or rejected outright) because of avoidable errors in the questionnaire.

This guide breaks down what you need to know about the Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval. We will cover which products need approval, who are the authorities, and the step-by-step process for importers. 

What is a Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval?

A Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval is an official authorization that permits a specific foreign food production facility to export its products to Indonesia. Rather than inspect every shipment at the border, the Indonesian government pre-approves the foreign facility itself. They impose hygiene standards, food safety systems, production processes, and compliance with Indonesian import requirements.

If the facility passes, it gets listed as an approved establishment. If it doesn't hold that approval, its products simply cannot be legally imported, no matter how the paperwork looks at the port.

This approval is crucial because it is a pre-requisite for everything else in the import chain. It is required before your Indonesian importer can apply for an import recommendation, before a health certificate can be validated, and any commercial shipment can legally clear Indonesian customs.

Which Products Typically Require a Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval?

The establishment approval requirement applies primarily to animal-origin products that fall under the regulatory oversight of the Ministry of Agriculture. In practice, this means:

• Dairy products: milk, skim milk powder, whole milk powder, cream, cheese, whey products, butter, ice cream, lactose, and other products consisting of natural milk constituents
• Meat and meat products: beef, offal, poultry meat (note: certain chicken parts remain banned for import)
• Animal by-products: bone meal, meat and bone meal, pet food derived from animal ingredients, poultry by-product meal
• Live animals and genetic materials: bovine embryos, frozen semen, day-old chicks, breeding pigs, horses
• Fishery Products: Fishery products are generally regulated under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic of Indonesia, product such Frozen Fish, Salmon, Shrimp, Crab, Lobster and Fish Processed

Of these, dairy products are the most commonly affected category for general food trade. If you're a dairy manufacturer outside Indonesia seeking market access, establishment approval is mandatory before any shipment.

The approval is facility-specific and product-specific. That means the authorization covers a named establishment at a specific address, for a defined list of products. A company with multiple production sites needs separate approvals for each facility. And products not listed in the original application aren't automatically covered by an existing approval.

It's also worth noting that this approval is separate from the product registration with BPOM (the National Agency of Drug and Food Control) and the halal certification required from an institution recognized by the Indonesian Halal Authority (BPIH/MUI). Depending on your product, you may need all three.

Who Issues Approvals?

The approval authority is the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Indonesia, acting through Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Services (DGLAHS). The process is administered specifically by the Directorate of Veterinary Public Health (Kesmavet) within DGLAHS, located in Jakarta.

Once a foreign establishment successfully passes the review process, approval is formally announced through a Ministerial Decree (Keputusan Menteri). 

Your company will then be:

1. Listed in the DGLAHS List of Approved Foreign Countries of Origin and Business Units of Dairy and Dairy Products (the official whitelist of approved exporters), and
2. Listed on SIMREK (the Online Recommendation System at simrek.ditjenpkh.pertanian.go.id), where importers can verify approval status when applying for import recommendations.

Here are some examples of approved facilities by country and product type:

Find more of the details active (approved facility) here.

Importantly, DGLAHS communicates exclusively with the exporting country's official government representative in Indonesia (not directly with the foreign establishment). Your country's agricultural attaché or food inspection authority acts as the intermediary.

For instance, U.S. exporters, that representative is USDA FAS Jakarta. For Canadian exporters, it routes through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and then the Canadian Embassy. Active communication cadence is necessary since the nature of this government to government relationship.

How to Obtain a Foreign Supplier Establishment Approval

Step 1: Engage With an Indonesian Importer

Indonesian law requires that all goods imported into the country be handled by a legally established entity in Indonesia. Any company engaged in import activity must hold a Business Identification Number (NIB) which functions as an Importer Identification Number (for low-risk products). 

A locally licensed Indonesian company that acts as the legal importer on your behalf. The IOR holds the NIB/API, handles customs clearance, pays duties and taxes, and ensures compliance with Indonesian import regulations. 

Emerhub operates as a licensed Importer of Record in Indonesia. We act as your license holder and assist you with local registrations, SIMREK access, and regulatory knowledge. 

Step 2: Contact Your Country's Agricultural Representative in Indonesia

Because DGLAHS does not communicate directly with your company, you need to reach out to your home country’s official agricultural or food inspection authority. All inquiries, submissions, and notifications will go through this channel. 

When you work with Emerhub during this stage, we will conduct an initial review of your completed questionnaire and supporting documents (typically within 14 days). The goal is to catch gaps, unclear answers, or missing annexes before the application reaches the Embassy or USDA representative. 

This review stage is one of the most valuable parts of the process since a rejection or additional document request at the DGLAHS desk review stage can cost you time. 

Step 3: Prepare the Application Package

The application consists of two main components:

A. The Questionnaire (Application Form) 

• General information about your establishment (name, address, GPS coordinates, contact details)
• Types of milk products produced and those intended for export to Indonesia
• Staff and working hours information
• Location and facility details (water source, electricity, storage conditions, waste management, pest control)
• Production process flowcharts with temperature, time, and CCP/CP information
• Food safety and quality assurance systems in place (GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, etc.)
• Halal assurance status
• Cleaning and disinfection procedures
• Establishment monitoring program

B. Supporting Documents (Annexes) 

• Production volume data (last 3 years)
• Export history (countries, dates, products, volumes) and veterinary health certificates from recent shipments
• Facility layout plan with color-coded arrows showing product and worker movement flows
• Satellite/aerial images of the facility and surroundings
• Water laboratory examination results
• List of chemicals and disinfectants used
• Waste treatment contracts (if using third parties)
• Rodent trap layout map
• Worker facility information (canteens, toilets, lockers, showers)
• Production process flowcharts indicating CCPs
• Food safety certifications (GMP, HACCP, ISO, FSSC, SQF, or equivalent)
• Laboratory test reports for export products
• Calibration records for measuring instruments
• Product recall and traceability documentation
• Pest control program or third-party contract
• Halal certificate (if applicable)

Step 4: Submit the Application to Your Country's Representative

The application package is sent to your country’s agricultural representative. They will then prepare a cover letter, and submit the questionnaire and documents to the DGLAHS. 

Make sure the application is complete and correct. Approval decisions are made solely based on the documents submitted (there is no in-person interview). An incomplete or inaccurate submission will result in delays or rejection.

Step 5: Payment and Desk Review Scheduling 

DGLAHS holds four desk review sessions per year (one per quarter). Once your application is submitted, you'll be notified when your establishment has been included in an upcoming session. These notifications often come with very short notice, sometimes less than a week. 

When notified of your desk review session:

1. Obtain a billing code from DGLAHS's treasury office. Your country's representative will assist with the required documents. The billing code is valid for seven calendar days only.
2. Pay the fee through an appointed Indonesian bank. The fee for a desk review (pre-inspection/audit document evaluation) for products of animal origin is IDR 15,650,000 per establishment application.
3. Submit proof of payment to DGLAHS through your country's representative at least two working days before the desk review.

Step 6: Desk Review and Possible Additional Document Requests

DGLAHS auditors will conduct a document review. If they need additional information, you'll have three months to submit the supplementary documents. If the additional review is satisfactory, your establishment is approved. If not, the application is rejected and you'll need to reapply.

Step 7: Receive Approval and Get Listed

Approval is announced via a Ministerial Decree and your establishment is added to the DGLAHS approved list and SIMREK. From this point, your Indonesian importer can begin the import recommendation process for individual shipments.

How Long Does the Approval Process Actually Take?

The full process from application to approval typically takes between 1 and 2 years. Here's how the timeline breaks down in practice:

The desk review stage alone (where DGLAHS formally evaluates your application) can take up to 12 months. DGLAHS runs only four sessions per year, and there's no guarantee your application makes it into the next available slot. A single incomplete document or unclear answer on the questionnaire can push you to the following quarter's review.

This is precisely why the quality of your initial application matters so much. An application that goes through expert review before submission has a significantly higher chance of clearing the desk review without triggering additional document requests.

Desk Review vs On Site Audit

Based on the current Ministry of Agriculture (Kesmavet/DGLAHS) framework, we can provide an indication of whether an application is likely to proceed to an on-site audit. However, the final decision remains with DGLAHS based on its assessment of the country, commodity, and submitted documents.

In general, the desk review is the initial assessment stage. If the application is complete, accurate, and meets the applicable requirements, it may proceed to the on-site review/audit stage.

Here is a quick summary between Desk Review and On Site Audit:

Factors that Can Affect the Process Timeline

1. Completeness and accuracy of documents: DGLAHS reviews whether the questionnaire and supporting documents are complete and correct. These documents must demonstrate compliance with the applicable animal health and food safety requirements. If they are incomplete, inconsistent, or do not sufficiently support the information provided, DGLAHS may request additional clarification or documents before the application can proceed.
2. Whether the submitted information can be verified through documents: The desk review is intended to verify the information provided by the applicant and the competent authority of the exporting country. Where the information cannot be adequately verified through documentation, further clarification and/or an on-site verification may be required.
3. Whether the country/commodity has an existing approval or import history: The regulatory assessment may differ depending on whether the relevant country and commodity have previously been approved or imported into Indonesia. For a new country, new commodity, or first-time approval involving a particular risk profile, DGLAHS may need to conduct a broader country-level assessment. 
4. Whether the exporting country has already been assessed/approved by the Ministry of Agriculture: If the country has not previously been approved or assessed for the relevant commodity, the authorities may first need to conduct a country assessment. This includes an assessment of the country's animal health control system and relevant disease status.

We can assess the likelihood of an on-site audit based on the country, commodity, previous approval/import history, and the quality of the submitted documents.

Processing a Foreign Supplier Approval in Indonesia with Emerhub

At Emerhub, our regulatory experts will help you prepare your application from the start. We review your documents, provide samples and templates for the required documents, and advise you on additional supporting documents or information that can strengthen your submission. 

Our goal is to make your application as complete and clear as possible before it reaches DGLAHS, helping you reduce unnecessary delays and move through the review process more smoothly. 

Get in touch with our team and we'll walk you through the right setup for your product, your country of origin, and your timeline.