Indonesia Establishes Regulations for Kratom Exports

Indonesia, the country that provides the majority of kratom for consumers worldwide, has officially regulated the export of kratom.

Issued by Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan in September 2024, two new policies aim to increase the value of exported kratom. Trade Regulation Number 20 is an amendment to a 2023 trade regulation prohibiting certain substances from export. This pertains to kratom contaminated with toxic levels of heavy metals, bacterial contamination, and kratom cut with non-kratom ground leaf material. Trade Regulation Number 21 deals with export policy and regulation.

"The change in the Minister of Trade's Regulation on kratom export trade is a follow-up to the results of an internal meeting led by President Jokowi. In the meeting, it was decided that kratom exports must comply with predetermined standards in order to increase added value and provide legal certainty," Director General of Foreign Trade, Isy Karim, told media.

Contaminated kratom has been a significant issue in the U.S. There have been multiple outbreaks of Salmonella linked to kratom products. Some kratom products have been found to contain dangerous levels of heavy metals such as lead and nickel. Depending on the growing season in Indonesia, mold contamination has been an issue. This has led to American importers testing the kratom, and refusing payment for contaminated shipments, resulting in significant financial losses for Indonesian kratom farmers.

Yet kratom remains a growing industry in Indonesia, particularly in the West Kalimantan region on the Island of Borneo. According to CNN Indonesia, there are over 18,000 Indonesians who work as kratom farmers.

The new rules come after a recent series of meetings in Indonesia between local officials, American kratom industry representatives, and scientists from around the world.