Minister of Trade Regulation Number 11 of 2026 Expands Commodities Subject to Import Licensing, Including Soybean Meal

Introduction

On 21 April 2026, the Ministry of Trade issued Minister of Trade Regulation Number 11 of 2026 on the Second Amendment to Minister of Trade Regulation Number 18 of 2025 on Policies and Regulations Governing the Import of Agricultural and Livestock Products (“MOT Reg. 11/2026”), which will take effect on 8 May 2026. Through this regulation, the Government amends the import licensing framework for agricultural and livestock commodities to ensure orderly national trade governance.

In addition, MOT Reg. 11/2026 responds to the urgency of supporting the national food self-sufficiency program and the substitution of imported agricultural goods. The food self-sufficiency program constitutes a strategic government initiative aimed at reducing dependence on imported food and strengthening national food security. To achieve this objective, MOT Reg. 11/2026 expands the scope of regulated agricultural and livestock commodities by adding four new commodities, such as feed wheat, soybean meal, mung beans, and peanuts, into the import licensing system, which previously did not cover these commodities. The Government intends to restructure the list of commodities subject to import approval to maintain balance in commodity supply and mitigate the risk of domestic shortages. The Government further aims to ensure that import governance operates more transparently and supports the independence of local industries through compliance monitoring at national borders.

 

Comparison

MOT Reg. 11/2026 amends several provisions of Minister of Trade Regulation Number 18 of 2025 on Policies and Regulations Governing the Import of Agricultural and Livestock Products (“MOT Reg. 18/2025”), as previously amended by MOT Reg. 31/2025. The following table sets out a comparison between MOT Reg. 11/2026 and MOT Reg. 18/2025 in conjunction with MOT Reg. 31/2025:

 

Key Provisions

Expansion of Regulated Import Commodities

Pursuant to Article 2 paragraph (1), MOT Reg. 11/2026 expands the list of commodities required to obtain Import Approval and to comply with prescribed requirements. Businesses are now required to secure licenses for four additional commodities, namely feed wheat, soybean meal, mung beans, and peanuts. The Government includes these four commodities in the regulated import list alongside existing commodities such as animals and animal products, rice, sugar, corn, garlic, horticultural products, and cassava and its derivatives.

Licensing Relaxation for Special Customs Areas

Article 9 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 13 letter a stipulates a relaxation policy whereby the Government exempts certain activities from the requirement to obtain Business Licensing in the Import sector and from Verification/Technical Tracing. Businesses may benefit from this relaxation for the release of goods from KPBPB, KEK, and TPB to other locations within the Customs Territory. This relaxation applies to the following commodities:

1. Animals and animal products. 
2. Rice for other specific purposes under API-P. 
3. Corn. 
4. Cassava and its derivatives. 
5. Feed wheat. 
6. Soybean meal. 
7. Mung beans. 
8. Peanuts. 

Specific Requirements for Importation of New Commodities

Referring to Annex I, Sections VIII to XI, the Government establishes procedures for companies intending to import the four new commodities. Importers of feed wheat, soybean meal, mung beans, and peanuts are required to possess a Producer Importer Identification Number (API-P) or a General Importer Identification Number (API-U). Where the relevant authority has issued a Commodity Balance, businesses must use such instrument as a prerequisite for the issuance of Import Approval. Conversely, where the Commodity Balance has not yet been established, businesses must rely on Available Data in the form of verification reports, recommendations, or official technical considerations issued by the ministry responsible for agricultural affairs.

 

Transitional Provisions

Pursuant to Article II number 1 of MOT Reg. 11/2026, an exception applies to businesses whose goods were already in transit prior to 8 May 2026. The provisions of MOT Reg. 11/2026 do not apply to the importation of the following 6 (six) types of commodities:

1. Rice in the form of broken rice used for animal feed under tariff/HS code 1006.40.10; 
2. Horticultural products in the form of pears under tariff/HS code 0808.30.00; 
3. Feed wheat under tariff/HS code 1001.99.99; 
4. Soybean meal under tariff/HS codes 2304.00.29 and ex 2304.00.90; 
5. Mung beans under tariff/HS codes ex 0708.20.90 and ex 0713.31.90; and 
6. Peanuts under tariff/HS codes 1202.41.00 and 1202.42.00, 

provided that such goods were shipped prior to 8 May 2026 as evidenced by the date on the Bill of Lading (B/L) or Airway Bill (AWB).

 

Closing

MOT Reg. 11/2026 expands the scope of commodities subject to Import Approval to 11 types by adding feed wheat, soybean meal, mung beans, and peanuts, with the objective of supporting the food self-sufficiency program and maintaining balance in domestic supply. Importers of these new commodities are now required to hold API-P/API-U and to use the Commodity Balance or technical recommendations from the relevant ministry as prerequisites for licensing issuance. The Government also provides relaxation measures in the form of exemptions from import licensing and technical verification for activities within special customs areas (TPB, KPBPB, KEK, and KITE facilities), while implementing transitional provisions that exempt such goods if they were shipped prior to 8 May 2026, as evidenced by a Bill of Lading (B/L) or Airway Bill (AWB).