Prabowo highlights food surpluses as milestone toward self-sufficiency

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto stated that Indonesia recorded several major achievements in the agricultural sector, ranging from reducing fertilizer prices to securing surpluses in rice and feed corn production.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Meninting Dam in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday, President Prabowo framed the agricultural milestone as a critical foundation for achieving total national food self-sufficiency.

"In the past 18 months, under the administration that I lead, we have achieved historic milestones,” Prabowo said in a national broadcast.

“For the first time in decades, we now have a rice surplus, and we also have a feed corn surplus,” he added.

During his address, Prabowo expressed his appreciation to all stakeholders involved in the nationwide drive to boost agricultural yields, specifically praising the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) for their unconventional logistical and operational roles in securing the domestic food supply chain.

The President emphasized that the government will continue to ensure that state-funded infrastructure and agricultural policies provide tangible economic benefits directly to the public.

"Every rupiah of the people's money must be utilized and enjoyed by the Indonesian people," he stressed.

Data released by the National Food Agency (Bapanas) confirms a robust surge in domestic crop yields through the first half of 2026, significantly strengthening the Government Rice Reserve (CBP) and stabilizing market prices.

Bapanas recorded that the domestic absorption of unhusked rice from local farmers reached 3.3 million tons in the first half of 2026.

In the first quarter of 2026 alone, national rice production reached 9.63 million tons against a consumption demand of 7.76 million tons, creating a surplus of approximately 1.86 million tons.

Of that first-quarter surplus, state logistics agency Bulog absorbed unhusked rice equivalent to 1.46 million tons of rice, leaving around 400,800 tons available for private businesses to replenish commercial inventories.

From January to June 2026, total national rice production is estimated to reach 19.27 million tons, while consumption demand stands at roughly 15.48 million tons, yielding a net production surplus of 3.79 million tons.

Bapanas further noted that total national rice stocks, which include the strategic CBP, have currently reached an aggregate of approximately 5 million tons.

Related news: Building food self-sufficiency with 'three-network' collaboration

Related news: Govt modernises Papuan agriculture to strengthen food security

Related news: RI at historic turning point as major transformation begins: Prabowo

Translator: Maria Cicilia Galuh Prayudhia, Yashinta Difa

Editor: Azis Kurmala

Copyright © ANTARA 2026