Indonesia's rice reserves cover 10‑month needs as global production slips

Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman told President Prabowo Subianto that national rice stocks total about 5.2 million tonnes, enough to meet consumption for roughly ten to eleven months. He added that the standing crop in the fields could add another 10‑11 million tonnes, and the government is implementing measures such as new reservoirs, pump irrigation, deep wells, and multi‑harvest wetland cultivation to mitigate any El Niño‑related shortfalls.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) projects worldwide rice output for the 2026/27 season to fall 1.6 % to 552.4 million tonnes, primarily because of weather uncertainty linked to a possible El Niño event. Despite the decline, global rice stocks remain very high at an estimated 213.8 million tonnes, keeping overall supply secure. International trade is expected to dip slightly, with 2026 rice shipments forecast at 59.8 million tonnes, as larger harvests and ample inventories reduce import demand.