Indonesia advances food self-sufficiency in sugar and rice sectors

Indonesia is advancing its national food self-sufficiency goals, specifically targeting sugar and rice production. PG Tjepiring, a sugar factory in Kendal, Central Java, under PT Industri Gula Nusantara, has committed to absorbing sugarcane from local farmers for the 2026 milling season. This initiative aligns with Presidential Regulation Number 40 of 2023, which aims to accelerate national sugar self-sufficiency and bioethanol production, targeting consumption self-sufficiency by 2028 and industrial self-sufficiency by 2030.

In the rice sector, Indonesia has seen significant production increases. Following a period of heavy imports due to El Niño, the country has moved toward stopping medium rice imports. According to Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS), rice production in 2025 reached 34.69 million tons, a 13.29% increase from the previous year. Projections for January–September 2026 estimate rice production at 28.71 million tons. Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman has expressed readiness to accelerate rejuvenation programs to maintain this momentum.