Hanin Marwah

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman is optimistic that rice production will increase next year, targeting 32 million tons by 2025. 

“God willing, in 2025 we can reach 32 tons in one year,” he told reporters when met at his office in South Jakarta on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.

Based on Statistics Indonesia (BPS) calculations, rice production this year dropped from 31.10 million tons in 2023 to 30.34 million tons by year-end. 

Based on BPS estimates through September 2024 sample frame survey observations, paddy production by the end of this year reaches 52.6 million tons, down from 53.98 million tons in 2023. This figure comes from the planting results until July 2024 and production estimates for September-December 2024.

BPS calculated these estimates using the September 2024 harvested area, the potential harvested area in the fourth quarter, and the average productivity from the 2018-2023 subround III. 

The harvested area of rice in 2024 is estimated to be 10.05 million hectares, a decline of 167,250 hectares, or 1.64 percent, compared to the 10.21 million hectares harvested in 2023.

The minister said targeting 32 million tons of rice production by next year is a significant goal. “One million tons equals Rp12 trillion,” he said. 

Minister Amran also attributed the difficulty of reaching such targets to climate factors like El Nino and La Nina. “During the last dry season, rice production rose 1 million tons starting August, but it dropped in January and February due to the harsh El Nino,” he said.

According to Amran, this target is in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s vision of food self-sufficiency within four years, or sooner. “It’s in accordance with the president’s directives. Four years or, God willing, even sooner,” he said. 

Amran claimed that rice imports will no longer be necessary once Indonesia achieves food self-sufficiency. 

Published Date: November 27, 2024