Indonesia will no longer need to import rice starting next year, Chief Food Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan said on Sunday, citing recent data indicating a significant improvement in domestic rice production.

Zulkifli said the country is on track to achieve self-sufficiency in rice, with an additional 1.5 million tons expected to be harvested from local farmers by the end of April. The increase in domestic supply, he said, would eliminate the need for further imports.

“Put simply, we have achieved food self-sufficiency as of April, thanks to the smooth distribution of fertilizers and the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles,” Zulkifli said in Jakarta.

According to government data, the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) currently holds around 1.8 million tons in government rice reserves. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry projects national rice production will reach 32 million tons in 2024, with a surplus of nearly 10 million tons anticipated by the end of 2025.

The administration of President Prabowo Subianto has set an ambitious target to halt imports of not only rice but also sugar and salt beginning next year, as part of a broader push toward agricultural independence.

Earlier this month, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman also expressed optimism, stating that Indonesia is on course to record a 12 million ton rice surplus “in the not-so-distant future.”

Source - https://jakartaglobe.id